Karakura Cops
by Alex McM
Summary: Soul Society opens a police station in Karakura town after Renji watches an action movie. It seems fun until a criminal organisation all dressed in white begin to terrorize the small town...and its police force.
1. Opening Day

**Karakura Cops**

SCREW SWORDS, NOW SHINIGAMI CAN USE GUNS. INSPIRED BY RENJI'S ATTEMPT AT BEING A COP IN THE SECOND OVA.

AGAIN CHARACTERS WILL DIE AND THERE WILL BE GORE, COARSE LANGUAGE AND ADULT THEMES.

**1...OPENING DAY...**

Renji was assigned to the real world for a long time as the hollow population in Karakura had grown higher than it ever had before. The hollows had stopped for now, leaving Renji to relax with his orange haired friend, who very kindly let him stay.

Renji stood at the front door of Ichigo's house. He smiled at Ichigo and messed up his orange hair.

"Thanks for letting me stay. You're a real-"

Ichigo grabbed Renji's hand and shoved him back. "Shut up! I didn't even agree. Rukia is just trying to annoy me."

"Looks like it's working." Renji exclaimed.

Ichigo growled and threw him inside.

"So what are we gonna do?"

Ichigo ignored the question and led Renji up to his a small tv was on showing a movie. It was paused .

The cupboard door was open and a slight crunching noise could be heard. Intrigued, Renji opened it and saw Rukia eating from a bag of popcorn.

"Hurry up and sit down, I've been waiting for Ichigo to show me this for ages."

Renji did as she said and Ichigo pressed play.

The film started and the words 'Die hard' flashed on the screen.

"How do you die hard?" Renji asked only to have a book thrown at him. Realising he shouldn't argue, Renji sat back, relaxed and watched.

*****

1 HOUR LATER

"Kill him!! Kill him!!! YEEEAAAAHHH!!"

"Renji will you shut up!!!"

"Oh...sorry."

On the screen, a bearded man plummeted from a window and to his death. Then the hero walked out the doors of Nakatomi plaza to the cheers of the police.

Renji cheered along with them. As the credits rolled Renji turned to Ichigo and Rukia.

"I want to be a cop!"

Ichigo stared at him. "Do you even know what a cop does?"

"Yeah! I just saw. You shoot the bad guys and blow stuff up!!"

"Renji...you are...a fucking..."

"Genius!" Rukia talked over him. "We should so do that! It would be so much fun, wont it Ichigo?"

"Hell no! Real cops have a worse job than you think."

Ignoring Ichigo, the others cheered and started repeating lines from the movie.

*****

SEVERAL MONTHS LATER

Ichigo's family had gone out leaving Ichigo and Rukia alone to have breakfast. The doorbell rang and they both went to the door.

Renji smiled at them wearing a police unifom and twirling a pistol on one finger.

"Yippee-Kiyay!"

Rukia clapped and laughed.

Ichigo was nowhere near amused. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm a cop...and...so are you!!"

He handed them each a police uniform with a symbol of two swords crossed on the pocket of the shirt.

"Geez what is this, cosplay?"

Rukia was so excited she undressed in the open doorway and began to slip into the costume.

"There! How do I look?"

Ichigo's face was bright red having just seen her naked but Renji was able to comment.

"You look great! Here, thats your gun and radio...officer Rukia."

She screamed in delight and turned to Ichigo. "Come on. Put it on, it'll be great."

"I doubt it."

"Awwww. Cant you do it for me? I'll give you a kiss." Rukia smiled sweetly.

Ichigo cursed and grabbed the uniform from her hands. He walked into the bathroom and got dressed, walking back out in full police gear. He was handed his gun and radio and got into a police car that Renji had bought.

*****

KARAKURA POLICE STATION

The trio walked inside and were met by a girl with tied back hair and glasses. Renji greeted her "Hey Nanao."

Ichigo looked at her. "Wait wait wait. You got roped into this too?"

She glared at him and adjusted her glasses. "Mr Kurosaki, we volunteered, even Byakuya."

She pointed to a coffee machine where Byakuya was with the 1st squad liuetenant.

Ichigo's jaw dropped. "I must be dreaming."

"No sir, this is quite real." Nanao punched him in the face to prove her point.

Ichigo walked around and came to a small row of cells. Inside one sat Zaraki Kenpachi.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Yachiru jumped out from behind a desk. "Kenny tried to get in a fight so we arrested him."

Ichigo tilted his head. "How does a four year old become a cop?"

A bullet flew past his head and he gasped. Yachiru held a small detective gun.

"Hahaha!! Bang bang Ichi!!"

Terrified of the small girl, Ichigo ran to the other side of the building. Once there he noticed a desk with a little nametag reading: .

"What the...?"

He was so deep in thought he didn't notice Rukia creep up beside him.

"Hi _partner_."

Ichigo shrieked and whirled around, his face red.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!! I mean what's wrong with you... wait...partner?"

"Yeah. You, me and Renji are a team."

"Team?"

"Well, the way it's set up here, everyone is assigned to a team of three or four officers. Then if there is a big case, the whole team is in charge instead of just one person."

Renji ran up to them holding his gun and a set of keys.

"Hurry up!! Get in the car...we got a job to do!!"


	2. Playing With Guns

**2...Playin with guns...**

The small car sped off, it's tyres burning against the road and screeching. The siren blared and small lights flashed on the roof.

"Renji!! Why are you going so freakin' fast? Slow down!!"

Renji ignored Ichigo's commands and cheered.

"What's the job anyway?...Renji!!"

Renji slammed his foot down on the brakes, making the car jolt to a stop and throwing the passenger's heads forward. He reached into the glove box and pulled out a piece of paper. After studying it for a while he answered.

"Drug bust. Some guy named Stark...doesn't have a last name here. Anyway, he has a laboratory inside this house." He pointed at the derelict, two storey house in front of them.

"Rukia, you take the back door, I'll take the front and Ichigo can watch my back. Got it?"

Rukia nodded and Ichigo sighed.

"Let's go!!" Renji jumped out of the car, quickly followed by Rukia.

As Rukia dissapeared around the back of the house, Renji approached the front door. He immediately kicked the door down and walked inside.

"Renji!! What the hell are you doing?" Ichigo ran inside. He tripped over a broken table and called to Renji again.

He creeped around from behind a corner and helped Ichigo up.

"Watch out! Don't be so stupid. Now get up and watch my back, if I get shot in the spine I'll kick your ass!!"

*****

UPSTAIRS

"Huh?!" Stark woke up and looked out the window. He saw a young woman in a police uniform, her gun drawn looking in a large shed. Stark cursed quietly and walked over to the bathroom. The door was shut. He opened it and heard a feminine scream.

A Young girl faced away from him but quickly whirled around, wrapping a towel around her private parts. A horned mask concealed part of her face. "Stark what the hell are you doing?" She glared at him with bright pink eyes.

"Cops."

"What?"

"There's a cop....in the shed....with our stash."

The girls face blushed red and she punched him hard in the jaw, her towel falling off in the process. With another high scream she reached for a plain white vest and put it on not bothering to zip it up.

She then put on thigh-high boots and a pair of briefs.

Stark watched silently as she pulled a long sleeve-like glove on one arm. As she reached for the other she looked at Stark. "You know it's probably illegal for you to watch me get dressed."

Stark shrugged his shoulders. "I'm already involved with illegal drugs, I doubt this will make anything worse."

The girl walked past him and kneeled next to the bed.

"Um...What are you doing ?"

She then bent over and started looking under the bed.

"Lilinette?" Stark asked staring at her rear end.

"Illegal!" she yelled back, pulling a large gun out from under the bed.

"Is that a machine gun?!" Stark's eyes widened. "How the fuck didn't I notice that."

Lilinette giggled "You're always stoned or alseep or both, it's not very hard."

She walked over to a cupboard and ruffled through a draw.

"Geez. Let me guess, grenades." Stark said rolling his eyes.

"Yup." Lilinette showed him a belt of grenades.

"What!! Where the hell do you get this stuff!?"

She giggled as she unclipped a grenade. "Ebay."

The two listened in silence, overhearing two men bickering.

"You cant shoot them!! They're just junkies, not armed robbers." yelled one man.

Lilinette smirked. "Hmmph, let's show em what a couple of Jukies can do!!"

She threw the grenade down the stairs and overheard one of the men.

"Is that a rock?"

"That's not a rock!! It's a fucking grenade!! Get down!!! I thought blondes were stupid, not redheads."

There was a loud boom and Lilinette looked down at the smoke. She aimed the barrel of the gun at the bottom of the stairs and fired a warning shot. "Yeah!! How's that for a junky!"

Downstairs she could hear one of them talk.

"Was that a girl talking? I thought you said it was a he!"

The other man answered. "I don't know! Maybe its a guy in drag with a campy voice."

Lilinette ran to the top of the stairs and opened her vest exposing her bare chest.

"I'm a girl you idiot!!"

"AAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!! It's like...a little naked girl."

Enraged she let off a magzine aimed downstairs.

The two men jumped behind a couch. The two of them argued again.

"What! Why didn't you bring your gun?!"

"I didn't know catching a drug dealer would end up in a gunfight!! Give me a break!"

Renji spoke into his radio. "Rukia. Watch out, they've got weapons...big weapons. Anyway, we need you to help us. Ichigo doesn't have a gun, so I need you to help me."

#_Where are they?#_

"Top floor. We're pinned down."

Ichigo looked at Renji. "Where the hell did you learn to do that?"

"What?"

"Use a radio. You're like a hundred years old."

"I'm a fast learner, plus I watched action movies for two days straight once I got back to Soul Society."

A stream of bullets tore into the lounge, tearing one of the arms off.

Renji leaned out and returned fire, a huge grin planted on his face.

Rukia whispered to them and crawled through the kitchen to the living room. A grenade landed at her feet and she leaped back to the wall next to the stairs.

"Is she alright?"

Lilinette stood out in the open. "Oh, so she's a girl, but I'm a dude. You stupid bastards."

She emptied another magazine and started to reload, still out in the open.

Rukia leaned out and shot her in the arm.

Lilinette fell to the floor and started bawling.

"Oooooooooowwwwwwwwwww!!!!! It hurt's! It hurts!" She dropped the gun and it fell downstairs. Rukia ran up the stairs as a leg snapped out from the other side of the wall. The kick threw her into the flimsy railing which fell apart letting her fall heavily to the ground.

A man in a white coat and pants walked to the top of the stairs, his arms up in the air.

"I give up...Come get me."

Renji pushed Ichigo forward and chucked a pair of handcuffs to him.

Ichigo walked towards the man.

Stark kicked again but Ichigo brought up his arm and blocked.

"Nice moves." Stark smiled.

"Thanks."

Stark swung his leg again. As Ichigo ducked, seconds seemed to last minutes.

Ichigo reached out and punched Starks shin.

Stark fell over and tripped down the stairs sobbing. "That's cheating, you don't punch the shins dude!"

Renji placed a pair of handcuffs on him and stood him up.

Ichigo moved over to the small green-haired girl who was still crying. She extended both hands and Ichigo flinched. She wrapped her arms around his leg and cried.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please dont hurt me! I'll do anything...anything!!!"

Ichigo swore he saw her wink at the end of her rant.

*****

The two criminals sat next to Ichigo in the back of the car. Halfway back to the station, boredom had already sinked in. At that point the car broke down.

"What! No petrol?" Renji looked over at Ichigo. "Where's the nearest service station?"

"Too far away. We'll have to call someone for help. But that means we're stuck here for a while..."

Stark clicked his fingers. "I've got weed!"


	3. Tough Love

**3...Tough love...**

The five people all took a drag on their own joints, smoke rising into the air.

Ichigo glared with blood-shot eyes at Rukia. "R-Rukia? I...I dont want to scare you...but, like...your hair is alive!"

Rukia laughed hysterically and through Ichigo's stoned eyes, the spike of hair over her face morphed into a black snake that hissed at him.

Ichigo screamed and jumped. "AAAAAAGGGGGGHHHH!! Shit!! It's gonnan bite me!!!"

Stark stared at the terrified boy. "What the hells wrong with him?"

"Well...He is only 15." Renji answered.

"Oh." Stark nodded, still watching Ichigo who now hid behind the open car door, tears sliding down his face.

Everyone laughed and took another drag, except Ichigo who huddled in the foetal position rocking back and forth.

*****

CHEAP HOTEL : OUTSKIRTS OF KARAKURA

A drunken man sat alone at the bar. Recently divorced, he was already on the prowl, looking for another prety face to please him.

A young blonde woman dressed in white walked down the stairs. Her small coat barely covered her large breasts so the man could see a lot of bare flesh, which was quite dark. Her collar was turned up high, covering her mouth.

The man gazed into her bewitching eyes. She blinked and blonde eyelashes swept down to cover her eye.

She ordered a drink and then gazed at the man.

He stared back, unable to take his eyes off her.

She recieved her drink and walked towards the man. She sat down and stretched her arms, pushing her breasts up in the process.

"Hello handsome." Her voice hypnotized him. She started to sweet talk him.

_Wow! I get a divorce and the next day some sweet thing chats me up! I'm in!_

The two conversed and the bartender watched while busying herself by cleaning glasses. The bartender scratched an eye which was surrounded by a red tattoo.

The blonde woman raised an eyebrow. "Shall we go back to my room?" She giggled suggestively. She grabbed the mans left hand and led him upstairs. She opened the door and showed him in.

The man sat down on the large bed, looking around nervously. "Pretty large bed for a slim woman."

"Oh. Well my partner left me two days ago, but by then we had already ordered a queen-size."

"Oh. Sorry to hear that." The man faked being sad.

"I'll go freshen up, be back soon." she blew a kiss and then wandered into the bathroom.

The man stuck a hand in his pocket and realised his mobile was still downstairs. "Um. I just gotta pop downstairs and get my phone."

He approached the door and turned the handle but it was locked.

"Hey! Your door locked itself."

"Oops. Yeah, it does that sometimes. I'll call room service to fix it." Came the muffled reply from the other room.

The man sat down again but boredom settled in. He decided to go through her cupboard. He opened a drawer and found it was full of money.

The back of the cupboard creaked and fell down. It led to a seperate room.

Curious, he poked his head in. He screamed at what he saw.

The walls were splattered with red and butchered corpses lay on the floor in dried up puddles.

"Oh fuck!!" He stepped back, his hands over his mouth.

Footsteps came from behind and through a small mirror inside the cupboard he saw it was the blonde woman. He whirled and pointed at the hole in the wall.

The womans coat was off and now a mask with cruel fangs covered her mouth.

"What the...?"

She had one hand behind her back, which she then brought in front of her. In that hand was a large hollowed out meat cleaver.

In a blur of movement the mans head was severed and bounced onto the floor...

*****

KARAKURA POLICE STATION

Ichigo sat at his desk filling out paperwork. Rukia and Renji were already gone by the time he had gotten here, so he just filled out the papers for the two drug dealers they had caught yesterday.

Ichigo almost felt sad when they were put in a cell. They seemed like nice people, not dangerous crooks.

The front door burst open and the rest of Ichigo's team walked in, eyes wide.

"What happened?" Ichigo asked.

Rukia grasped her stomach and ran to the bathroom. Even from the other side of the station, her violent wretching was clearly audible.

Renji threw a pile of photos down on the desk.

Ichigo gagged as he saw the grim pictures.

"This one's a fucking psycho. They've killed eight men, mutilated each one. All the bodies were stored in a small room."

"One of the residents, Halibel was her name, said she could hear moaning on the other side of her room. She knocked down the wall and there was a freakin graveyard nextdoor."

Rukia came back, her face pale. "The current owner of the room was found dead, decapitated himself with this."

Renji opened a box and pulled out a bloodied meat cleaver that had it's centre removed.

"Was it his prints?" Ichigo queried.

"Yeah! We also found out from the bartender that his wife divorced him the day before. The creep lost it and commited suicide."

The phone on their desk rang. Ichigo answered. He listened in silence and scribbled down an adress and several names. He hung up and stared at his companions. "He wasn't the killer! There's another victim!"

*****

CHEAP HOTEL : OUTSKIRTS OF KARAKURA

Halibel gave a report to Ichigo. They were inside her room where a fresh corpse lay on the floor, a knife embedded in his throat.

"He attacked me with a broken bottle." She turned her hips, showing a series of cuts on her side.

"I ran into the kitchen but he pushed me over. I kicked him off and pulled out a knife and then..."

She started to cry and Ichigo comforted her.

"I dont want to go to jail!" she cried.

"Dont worry. It was self defence, you had no choice."

She wiped away tears and looked at him. "Um...I need to use the bathroom."

Ichigo blushed. "Oh...Ok."

She left and Ichigo examined the body.

Down in the bar, Rukia talked to the bartender.

In the reception, Renji questioned the owner, a shy woman with long, dark green hair.

Renji queried about the guests that were killed and if there were any connections.

The shy woman passed him a blue folder. "Here. This is where all the information on our patrons is stored."

Renji studied the most recent entries, completely immerced in his work.

The woman reached inside a pocket in her white pants and pullled out a length of fishing wire. She wrapped it around Renji's neck and tugged it.

Renji gurgled as the wire was pressed harder down on his throat.

The assailant shoved her knee into his back, choking him more.

Renji couldnt breathe, the wire biting into his skin. As it cut into him, blood trickled down. He felt cold and his face turned a light shade of red. His legs gave way and he collapsed onto the floor...

*****

Rukia ordered a drink, only because the female bartender offered. She looked like a tomboy, her hair barely reaching her shoulders. She had an odd red circle tattooed around one eye.

A dark skinned brunnette descended the stairs and ordered a drink as well. She looked at Rukia's badge and frowned. "Terrible shame. Those poor guys, killed in such a way. Makes you sick to think there's people like that and they're right under your nose."

Rukia nodded and asked the lady whether she knew the victims or the killer.

"No. But I know Halibel, the nice girl who got attacked. That guy tried to force himself on her. Disgusting."

The bartender approached her from behind. "Such a prettty little thing you are."

Rukia turned to face her."Sorry?"

The bartender stroked Rukia's hair and ran a hand down her face. "I just said that you're cute. Such a beautiful face."

"Um...Thank you." Rukia felt uncomfortable, she had never been approached like this before. Then there was the fact that she had feelings for Ichigo.

The other woman left and sat at a far booth alone.

The bartender undid the top button on Rukia's uniform.

"I like them slim, just like you." She then undid the next button down.

Rukia's fear paralysed her. If she could, she would've ran but she was trapped.

The barwoman slid her hand down Rukia's top and started to carress her.

Rukia could barely scream and the sound was a high creaking noise that sounded like an old door closing.

Rukia's top was ripped open and she was pushed to the ground.

The dark woman at the booth just watched.

*****

Ichigo took some photo's of the body. His mind was overflowing with thoughts, but one reoccured more than the rest.

_That girl's been gone for a long time, is she alright?_

Ichigo knocked on the bathroom door.

"Excuse me. You've been in there for quite a while, are you ok?"

The door unlocked and Halibel kicked him hard in the gut. He fell back and looked up. Halibel brandished another hollowed out cleaver.

She jabbed straight for Ichigo's face but he moved out of the way, the blade sinking into his shoulder instead. He gritted his teeth and rolled backwards. He unholstered his Glock 36 and aimed for her stomach.

Halibel dashed forward and struck him again with such speed that Ichigo couldnt react. The force of the strike made ichigo spit out blood.

"So! It was you all along. You do realise I can radio for backup at any moment."

Halibel laughed. "Ha! Your red headed friend has already been disposed of."

Ichigo's eyes widened.

"My associates are dealing with your friends. Red head was strangled and that young girl..."

"You bitch!!" Ichigo spat the word out. "What have you done to her!?"

"Oooh. You must be her knight in shining armour. Anyway Apache has a thing for women, She's having some fun with the police-girl." She laughed again.

Enraged Ichigo yanked the knife out of the corpse lying near him. He then threw the knife, hitting Halibel in her chest, the blade sinking through her ribs.

Ichigo ran for the door but Halibel chucked her cleaver, embedding itself in Ichigo's back. The insane blonde then pulled the knife out of her chest and threw it into Ichigo's left leg.

Ichigo collapsed, he could hear muffled feminine screams. "Rukia!!!"

Another terrified scream came from the bar.

Tears streamed down Ichigo's face as the sound of evil laughter assaulted his ears. There was a loud bang and the screams turned to sobbing.

Ichigo struggled to crawl out into the hallway.

Halibel pressed a boot down on his back and she gripped the large cleaver. With a groan she pulled it out and blood flowed from the large gash.

Halibel then shook the red fluid from the blade and smirked at Ichigo. "Well, I'm off to slaughter the lamb!"

Ichigo swung out his arm and karate chopped her leg.

Halibel knelt down to grab her leg and Ichigo grabbed her hair. He pulled the hairs and Halibel fell. She rolled on top of Ichigo, the cleaver at his throat.

Ichigo held her hands back but struggled. For a woman, Halibel was immensly strong. Ichigo drove his knee into her gut and turned the blade on her.

Ichigo overpowered her and slit her throat. His energy drained from the fight, Ichigo lay on the floor.

*****

Renij awoke with a burning pain in his neck. His eyes scanned the room for his attacker. He didn't move and didn't make a sound. He looked to his left and saw the wire that had nearly killed him. They used to be transparent but were now coated in red.

_She's unarmed! I can get her now._

Renji slowly reached into his hoslster and brought out his gun, a Browning 9mm. He whirled around, his gun drawn. There was no-one there. He walked into the office and saw the green haired lady counting money.

"Yippee-kiyay motherfucker!!" Renji let loose three rounds, killing her instantly. He turned around to see an M3 sub-machine gun pointed at his face.

"You killed Sun Sun! You bastard!" The dark skinned brunette roared. She had heard gunshots and left Apache to have her way with the poor police girl. She fired, but she was a bad shot and instead of getting her target, she hit the dead woman she was trying to avenge. She screamed in frustration.

Renji shoulder charged her and then stopped her from causing any more trouble...permanently.

*****

"Please...please stop." Rukia whimpered as Apache slapped her. Apache had partially undressed Rukia and touched her. Now bored with lesbian fantasies she just beat her victim.

Rukia heard a series of gunshots, so had Apache.

The insane woman tied Rukia's hands to two bar stools and pulled out a sawn off shotgun. She left the room, letting Rukia cry alone.

She heard her radio beep. She used her feet to pick it up off of the floor.

_#Rukia!! Renji!! Can anyone hear me? The whole staff were the killers. I've taken care of one of them. If you can respond, please tell me your location and I'll help!#_

Rukia used her toes to hold down the talk button. She tried to yell but her voice was hoarse and quiet.

A loud gunshot frightened her and she dropped the radio. It slid too far away for her to reach it again.

Apache strolled back in, the same twisted smile on her face. "Sorry sweety_. _I had to take down a nasty policeman, but dont worry, he won't interfere as he's quite unconscious. In fact by the time he wakes up he'll have bled to death! HAHAHAHAHA!!!"

She put the gun down on a table and approached Rukia. She kissed her. Her tongue snaking inside Rukia's mouth. Rukia bit down on the invading tongue.

Apache tried to pull away but Rukia jerked her head back tearing Apache's tongue off as well.

Apache gagged and dark blood splashed onto the floor. She tried to voice her rage, but a sickening croak was the only noise that came out.

Rukia spat out the tongue and it hit the ground with a wet 'splat.'

Apache put a rag up to her mouth but it quickly became soggy with red skin was much paler and she fell to the floor. Even after she was dead, the blood gushed from her mouth.

*****

Ichigo crawled to the edge of the stairs, he gazed down at the large puddle and the deceased bargirl.

As he slid down the stairs he saw Rukia huddled up near the bar. She had pulled tattered scraps of her shirt over herself to try and cover her bare chest.

"Rukia! Are you alright?!"

She looked up, her eyes wet from the streaming fluid cascading down her bruised face.

"Wheres Renji?!"

Rukia shrugged her shoulders.

Ichigo used the stair railing to prop himself up. Although it hurt terribly, he limped towards the reception and office. Once there he saw bullets scattered across the floor, some floating in red puddles. A dark skinned woman lay face down still holding a sub machine gun. Renji lay on the reception desk, many small wounds on his body. He guessed it was from a shotgun. He got his radio out and called for several ambulances and some back-up. As he talked he looked at a headless corpse. Scraps of skin and skull fragments where still at the base of the neck, but the rest of the head was completely torn to shreds.

Barely able to look Ichigo vomited. When he saw blood in the puddle he spewed again.

After a while staring at his reflection in the ocean of red multiple sirens blared.

_We're saved._


	4. Shop Till You Drop

**4...Shop till you drop...**

Two ambulances parked outside the hotel. The paramedics wheeled out two stretchers and ran inside. Renji was wheeled out first.

"Dont worry Renji, you'll be fine." Ichigo smiled weakly and patted his friends shoulder.

Ichigo was helped onto a stretcher and wheeled away.

Rukia was covered by a large blanket, only her head was uncovered, her traumatised expression plain to all.

A police car was parked there as well. Byakuya ran from his car and hugged his sister.

"Are you ok? Were you hurt? What happened?"

A paramedic silenced him and sent him back to the car. He slammed the door and sat there in silence.

In the passengers seat Jushiro Ukitake scratched his white hair. "You weren't out very long. Is she ok?"

"She's fine, only a few bruises. Nothing as bad as that boy."

"Who? Ichigo?"

"Yes. He was covered in large wounds. Renji isn't looking good either. From what I could see, it looked like a shotgun wound."

Jushiro's eyes bulged. "A shotgun!?"

Byakuya nodded.

The car radio beeped and a desperate call came through. The officers listened intently. The tinny voice from the radio told them of an armed robbery at a shopping centre.

*****

KARAKURA SHOPPING COMPLEX

5 MINUTES EARLIER

Two men, both in white clothes, gazed around at the busy civilians.

One was a very large man, he stood almost a metre higher than the other peole.

The other only small, his skin toned a ghostly white. His green emotionless eyes scanned the building. Green lines were painted down his face, giving the impression that he was crying. He noticed a table near a fast food shop. It was populated by goth kids.

He slowly approached them, the same angry expression on his face.

The goths started to look at him.

A girl in heavy eyeliner and black hair with red highlights smiled at him. She walked up to him and waved a gloved hand.

The man eyed her body, dressed in a short black skirt and a black shirt exposing her slight cleavage.

"Hi! I'm Becky, want to get something to eat, you look starved." She said looking at his thin frame.

"Not really. I dont need to eat."

One of the other goths, a tall lanky boy with a large fringe of black hair, talked to the man.

"Hey, whats your name?"

"Ulquiorra."

"Wow. Thats a cool name, so where do you live?" Becky asked.

"That doesn't concern you." Ulquiorra still hadn't shown any different emotions.

"Sorry." She looked down and frowned.

"Geez dude, you dont have to be an asshole." Another goth yelled.

"I should warn you not to anger me. Otherwise you may suffer."

"Whoa! This guy's dark." One of the others stood up and approached Ulquiorra. He patted his shoulder and pushed him towards the table. "Sit down and make yourself at home." He said.

The goths all introduced themselves and talked about their lives.

One goth had a razor to his arm. Ulquiorra grabbed his hand and stopped him from harming himself.

"Hey!! What are you doing you son of a bitch!" The goth slashed the razor over Ulquiorra'a arm.

In a blur of white, Ulquiorra's hand appeared out the back of the goth. The goth was impaled on Ulquiorra's arm.

"Holy shit!!" Everyone screamed as the boy's back erupted in blood.

"You fucking killed him!!"

Ulquiorra turned on the others. Passers by screamed and alerted security.

A security guard fired a shot at Ulquiorra' arm.

Ulquiorra stepped back, holding his arm, his face still expressionless. He moved his hand away and showed the guard the bullet between his fingers.

_What the...? He caught the bullet!! What the hell is this guy?_

Ulquiorra threw the bullet back, hitting the guard in the head and killing him.

Ten guards formed a semi-circle around him. The guards all aimed their weapons but none fired.

A stream of bullets tore the guards to pieces.

The big man returned, now holding a chaingun. He turned the gun on innocent men women and children. He laughed maniacally.

"Ha!! They're freakin weak."

Ulquiorra tuned to him. "Of course they're weak Yammy. You have a giant firearm and they are defenceless."

Sirens outside turned their heads.

"It's time!"

*****

Outside almost the entire force gathered around the doors. Everyone with their guns drawn. They looked to the roof top and noticed a white banner hang down above the entrance.

Byakuya read the banner out loud for the others. "Espada."

The word was written in the blood of the victims inside.

All the officers radios beeped, an unknown speaker addressing them.

"I see you've noticed our name tag. We are the Espada. You shall bow down to us and our power. You may have disposed of some of our associates but we arent scared that easily."

*****

HOSPITAL

Ichigo's radio was by his bedside. He had heard the call for the armed robbery and now one of the robbers had contacted every officer by radio.

_# You shall know fear soon enough. Especially the three officers who interfered before. There was the red-head, a young girl and the officer with bright orange hair. We have spoken. Now retreat or die where you stand.#_

Through the radio, Ichigo could hear rapid gunshots, screams and an explosion.

"This is bad. Really bad. They've watched us and they know our radio frequency. Plus they're dragging innocent people into their twisted game." Ichigo lay back and made a wish.

_I hope they don't know about my family._

*****

INSIDE THE SHOPPING COMPLEX

Becky hid under the table, several other survivors hiding with her. They had watched many people drained of their blood to write something on a large white bannner. Most of the others were dragged to the roof. They could only guess what awaited those poor people, but loud gunshots implied a cruel fate.

The white-clothed people were everywhere. One had a tall mask over their head and seemed to have multiple personality disorder as it sounded like it spoke in two voices, one a deep males and the other, a high shrill voice.

Another wore a white eyepatch , always followed by a blonde man with a black eyepatch.

Some seemed to have authority over the others and gave orders. Two of them, Ulquiorra and an elderly man gave orders to everyone, they were obviously the leaders.

_I thought he was just like us! I wanted to be his friend, but he's not one of us...he's a monster!!_

All the ...Espada, Becky remembered the name they kept saying. The Espada had all left giving them a chance to escape.

"Come on!!" She whispered. The survivors all ran for the front doors. A black man dressed in white stood before them.

"I'm sorry. You may not pa-"

Several bullets smashed the glass doors and hit the Espada. Shards of glass shot into him. He collapsed and lay still.

On the other side of the door three policemen stood still their weapons drawn.

An officer wearing sunglasses held back a large dog on leash. The dogs tag read : Captain.

The other officers gestured for the hostages to get out of the building.

As they swarmed out of the building, they were instructed to duck down.

The two men in eyepatches had appeared near the doorway and both brandished machine guns.

The man with the black eyepatch had an Mp5, while the man in the white eyepatch held two assault rifles, one in each hand. He laughed maniacaly and opened fire.

Eight of the twenty survivors were mown down by the insane man.

The three officers looked at each other and nodded. One of them spoke into their radio.

"Send him in."

An armoured truck opened its back doors and Zaraki Kenpachi emerged from inside. His tall spikes of hair scraped against the roof as he walked out. His mouth curved up high in a creepy grin. He turned around and brought out two Uzi and fired into the air.

"I'm finaly gonna be able to have some fun!"

Without bothering to find cover, he ran blindly at the two assailants.

Four more survivors were shot down and Becky was hit in the leg. She dragged herself behind a marked car with the others. She leaned out and saw the tall police officer stand still.

"What's your name dumbass!?" The man in the white eyepatch asked. He scratched his straight black hair.

Zaraki still stood in silence.

"My names Nnoitra, Nnoitra Jiruga. There I said mine, now you tell me yours."

Zaraki didn't respond.

Nnoitra's grin faded and his face creased into a scowl. He fired at Zaraki, the bullets sinking into his body.

Zaraki dropped one of his guns and collapsed to one knee. He grunted in pain.

Nnoitra strode over and swung his leg back, ready for a kick. As his leg thrusted forward Zaraki smiled. "Joking." He caught Nnoitra's leg and flipped him over.

"Nnoitra!" black patch yelled. He ran to help his friend but Zaraki aimed an Uzi at his face.

"Dont interfere!" He fired, point blank into the young mans skull.

The officers cringed. "He's a freakin' animal!"

"Of course he is. That's why he's on our side." A bald policeman stated.

Zaraki pistol whipped Nnoitra.

Nnoitra bashed the butt of his rifle into Zaraki's nose. Blood spurted out followed by a loud 'snap'.

Zaraki's nose was bent at an odd angle and he bled from his mouth and nose. He spat out several teeth and cracked his nose back into place. He grinned with his now bloody teeth. His tongue snaked out and lapped up the blood.

Nnoitra stared wide-eyed.

_What the hell is this guy?! First he deliberately injures himself just to trick me, and now he's drinking his own blood!!_

"Nice shot. Now it's my turn!"

Zaraki thrust his fist into Nnoitra's jaw, striking his teeth. Zaraki drew back his hand and noticed shards of white embedded in his hand.

Nnoitra turned his head and spat out nine broken, bloodied teeth. He grinned with what was left and back fisted Zaraki's left temple. He then reached for his gun and let loose half a magazine into his opponent.

Kenpachi stumbled back and reached for one of his guns but Nnoitra shot his hand.

"Fight me bare handed!! See how tough you really are!!" Nnoitra spat.

No fear showed on Kenpachi's face, only the same large grin.

Zaraki strode confidently towards him.

Nnoitra emptied a magazine and then loaded another. He then let loose another volley of bullets.

The grin on Kenpachi's face slowly lowered. He gazed down at his body, riddled with holes and bleeding profusely. The nerve's in both arms were severed and the bones in his legs were full of bullets. Unable to move Zaraki frowned. "Damn. I guess a gigai cant take as much punishment as I thought."

Nnoitra aimed the barrel of his weapon at Zaraki's forehead. He placed a finger on the trigger and slowly puled it back. The trigger fully retracted and nothing happened. "What the hell!!" Nnoitra stared at the barrel now snapped in half.

Yachiru Kusajishi laughed. She stood behind Nnoitra. She unholstered her tiny firearm and shot Nnoitra in the back of the knee.

He fell to the ground, landing on broken glass. He winced and then saw the pink haired girl stand above him.

She glared into his eyes. They burned with anger and she was biting her lower lip.

"You hurt kenny!! Now he can't fight. Now he can't have fun!"

"FUN!!! You think almost dying is fun!?"

The girl nodded. "To Kenny, war is as important as air. He relishes in it...and so do I!"

Nnoitra's eyes bulged. _What the hell is this bitch thinking?! And what the fuck is she doing in the police force?!_

"When Kenny is having fun, I'm just as happy as he is. Our emotions are mutual."

"What!!??"

"Since we share feelings, I know Kenny will feel good when I kill you!!"

Nnoitra was sweating severely. This girl was nuts. She was only a toddler but she scared him more than anything he had ever encountered before.

"YOU PSYHCO BITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


	5. Hunted

**5...Hunted... **

Please review this or any other chapter. I like to get feedback and haven't had any yet.

KUROSAKI CLINIC/ HOUSE

A female officer with very short blonde hair sat with Ichigo, Rukia and Renji. She had driven them back to this building after they were allowed to leave the hospital.

Her team superior, Ukitake, had sent her to give the news of todays events.

She had told them that after Nnoitra was killed they raided the mall and found it deserted. Her superiors Ukitake and Byakuya were still there searching the building.

Night had fallen on the small two storey house. Ichigo stared at the floor, unable to look at anyone in the room.

"They said something about us."

Everyone turned to Ichigo.

"When they contacted us by our radios. They mentioned the three of us." He waved a hand at Renji and Rukia.

The police-girl laughed. "Oh I wouldn't worry about that. It was an empty threat, I mean they don't even know your names."

"That doesn't mean they wont hurt 'em!" A loud voice came from outside.

The police-girl walked over to the window and saw an officer with a white cloth around the top of his head. She scowled at him. "Piss off Sentauro!! You aren't even in my team. Ukitake sent you with baldy and that guy with weird eyebrows."

"I had to come here and make sure you didn't screw up. So shut up Kiyone!!!"

"Oh go die in an alley you moron!!" Kiyone slammed the window shut. The wood splintered from the force. She giggled and apologised.

Outside, Sentauro stomped away. As he passed the house nextdoor he heard a feint noise.

From inside the house, a tall masked head stared at a deep voice it mumbled to itself.

"Hmmm. He may cause trouble." He then spoke in a high pitched squeal. "Better take him out."

*****

Inside Ichigo's house Kiyone gave more information on the raid. She gazed at the clock and realised it was getting late.

"Whoa. It's 10 o'clock. I'd better get back to the station. You guys get some rest and I'll see ya tommorow." She opened the door and left.

"Well, I'm pretty tired. We better do as she says." Ichigo started to ascend the stairs.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"

The trio all turned and ran outside.

Kiyone sat on the ground outside the neighbours house.

"Whats going on?" Ichigo asked.

Kiyone didn't say a word, only a high croak. She pointed at the front yard of Ichigo's neighbours house. Sentauro was suspeded from the roof by razor wire. It was wrapped around his neck, arms and stomach. His lower jaw was missing and so where his hands.

"Holy shit!!" Renji snatched Kiyone's radio and called for help.

"They'll be here soon. Rukia take her inside to calm down."

Rukia nodded and grabbed Kiyone by the arm and led her inside.

Ichigo scratched his head. "This is too close to our house, they must know were we live!!"

Rukia opened the door to Ichigo's bedroomand sat down. "Just sit down and relax. We'll find the guy who did-"

Ichigo's bed was soggy. "Umm. You can sit in my bed instead." She opened the cupboard door and sat down. Something sharp poked her leg and she turned around and Kiyone turned the light on.

Ichigo's bed was bright crimson and a lower jaw lay in Rukia's bed, a note impaled on a shard of bone.

Both girls screamed.

*****

Ukitake sat with the two girls as Byakuya helped search the room.

Byakuya reached for the note and read it aloud : _I may not know your names but that is trivial when I know where you live. Good night!_

"Where the hell did they find the address? Unless they followed Sentauro." Byakuya scratched his chin.

"Fuck!!" Ichigo punched the wall. "They know where we live. They obviously know the station. They also know our radio frequency!" He stood in silence before cursing. "Shit!! They can overhear every radio transmission we make! That's it! They listened to Ukitake give Kiyone our address!"

Byakuya's eyes widened. "Then...they heard the orders for most of the force to check out the mall, hotel and the drug dealers house!"

"What!?" Theres only a handfull of officers at the station right now! They'd know this is a perfect chance to take out the heart of the force, the station."

Ukitake gasped. "The armoury!! It's undefended! They would have enough firepower to wipe out the whole town!!"

They called up another car to take care of the crime scene and raced for the station.

*****

KARAKURA POLICE STATION

Six officers sat by a heater, the first squad liuetenant sat with Nanao and Ikkaku, Yumichika, Soi fon and Nemu Kurotsuchi.

There was a tap at the door. Ikkaku leaned towards Yumichika. "It's your turn to get the door."

Yumichika strode towards the door and opened it. No-one was there. He walked outside and looked around. It was so cold he wrapped his arms around himself. The door blew shut behind him. He gasped and knocked on the door.

Ikkaku got up and walked to the door. Liquid splattered on the other side of the tinted glass door.

He spoke as he opened it. "You didn't sneeze on the door did you?"

Yumichika wasn't there.

"What the hell?" He looked at the liquid on the door and rubbed a finger in it. As he gazed in the light he noticed it was blood.

He drew his gun and ordered the others to back him up.

Nanao and Nemu stayed inside as the others left.

Outside the three split up and wandered around the building. The first squad liutenant went around the left side of the station. He stepped in a puddle and jumped to the side. He glared at two objects in the bushes, two red feathers. He was so deep in thought he didn't notice the blue haired man walk up behind him, a flick-knife in his hand.

Ikkaku heard a heavy thud nearby and walked carefully towards the noise. A loud click came from behind the bush in front of him. He brushed it away and stared right into the barrel of a chain gun.

The wall near Nanao fell apart. Shocked she turned around to see a stream of bullets flying through the gaping hole.

She dove under a table and looked around terrified. Neither her or Nemu had any weapons as they were both only secretaries. Her mind raced as she heard heavy footsteps.

_The armoury!!_

She got into a crouch and ran to the thick steel door at the other end of the station. Nemu followed but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw a flash of pink.

"Y-achiru?" She gazed around until she met the gaze of a man in glasses and pink hair.

"Oh no!!" She backed away and tripped over a chair.

The man kneeled down and looked into her eyes. He smiled and reached into the pocket of his white pants. He pulled out a small white pill and held her mouth open.

Nemu struggled to close her mouth but was met with a painfull backhand.

The man shoved the pill down her throat and rubbed her neck.

Whatever the pill was, it worked fast. Within seconds Nemu's vision blurred and she fell asleep.

Nanao abandoned her friend, fear overriding every other emotion. Tears flew from her face as she sprinted. She landed awkwardly and fell to the ground only three metres from the steel door of the armoury.

Light footsteps fell behind her. She crawled around a desk and hid. She couldn't walk as she had sprained her ankle. She winced and rubbed at her sore eyes. The footsteps had stopped. She leaned out and scouted the area. There was no-one there.

She crawled to the thick steel door and punched in the access code on a small keypad. It opened with a loud clank.

_Oh god!! They heard me!!!_

She dragged herself inside and started to close the door. She gazed out and saw Soi Fon running to the armoury. Soi Fon gazed into Nanao's eyes, pleading her to keep it open.

Nanao saw the man in blue hair directly behind her and yelped.

_She might make it!! She just might make it!!_

Soi Fon reached for the door handle and tripped. Nanao shut the door as she listened to the sobs of her commrade. She could overhear Soi Fon's furious battlecry, but it was interrupted by a splashing noise and a quiet thud.

Nanao fought back the urge to vomit when blood ran under the door and around her legs. She reached behind her and reached for a magnum revolver and aimed it at the door.

She could hear three men converse outside the door.

_Theres only three!? Three of these thugs killed five officers!!_

Loud gunshots echoed in the small room. The door slightly dented under force of the bullets.

A quiet man silenced the other two and she could hear typing.

_They're trying to get the access code!!_

The man cursed and then after a few clicks the door jolted open slightly.

_AAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!!!!! They're going to open the door. I don't want to die!! I don't want to die!! Somebody please save me!!._

From the foot wide gap in the door way she gasped at the sight of Soi Fon, soaked in blood, her eyes wide and staring. They still showed betrayal and pain in her lifeless eyes.

Nanao cried as three heads looked in at her. They all laughed even after She fired a warning shot.

She tried to make a threat but she was stuggling enough to just breathe let alone talk.

The largest man grabbed the door and shoved it further aside to allow the others inside.

Nanao screamed as she blindly shot again and again.

*****

The small police car sped into the car park and it's occupants all charged out, guns drawn.

They walked to the doors and a foul smell made them cringe. Dried blood was splattered on the door.

They followed the smell around the right side of the station. There, amid a pile of bullets. Was an unidentifiable corpse. The body had almost no skin left, only small patches clung to the cracked bones. Bullet holes covered the corpse from head to toe, even the entrails spilled around it was full of holes.

Almost in unison the group emptied their stomachs.

They all turned and went back to the front door. They went inside and found tables blown to pieces, a whole chunk of wall gone and the armoury door dented and broken.

They all went to the thick door where Soi Fon lay in a red puddle. Byakuya felt her pulse.

"She isn't dead!" He shook her and her eyes rolled over and stared at him.

"B-B-Bya-Byakuya..." Ukitake rang an ambulance and pulled a first aid kit out from a drawer by his side.

Ichigo looked inside the armoury. The guns were all gone, all that was left was the mutilated corpse of Nanao. Ichigo noticed a hand holding a note on the other side of the room.

He picked it up and read it to the others: _We thank you for allowing us to use your weapons and we especially thank you for making this as easy as possible for us. P.S._ _We have a hostage, Nemu Kurotsuchi. We strongly advise you rescue her soon as she is in the care of a man known for human experimentation._

"Shit!!" Ichigo scrunched up the note. "We fucked up big time!! They have our weapons, ammunition and even worse, one of our own."

"I know who we can ask for help." Renji said.

They all turned to leave until Rukia stopped them. "Wait!! What about Stark? He was one of them! Did they take him?"

They ran to the cell and found it empty. "Fuck!! They have reinforcements as well!!" Ichigo slammed a fist down on a table which broke under the force of the hit.

"We'd better stop them soon!! If this drags on any longer, they'll just keep killing us off one by one!"

"I know who could find them!" Renji ran from the station.

Ukitake stayed behind with Soi Fon and waited for the ambulance.

The others got into the car and left.

"Renji where are we going?" Ichigo asked.

"Mayuri Kurotsuchi. He knows everything. He would know where they are."

They pulled up outside a small house. The garden was mostly dead, but strange exotic plants grew in a few spots. The house looked really old, the paint flaking away and the windows so foggy they were impossible to look through.

"Renji, it looks like nothing has lived here for years. You sure he is still alive."

Renji scowled at him. "Mayuri is a shinigami. The twelfth squad captain."

Ichigo searched his mind for this man but found nothing.

Lock clacked on the other side of the door and a strange looking man poked his head out. Black and white paint covered his face and orange cones protruded from the sides of his head and his chin. An odd hat covered his dark blue hair. The hat had two sharp points, both poking out the same side.

"What the hell?" Ichigo stepped back staring at the mans face.

"What is wrong Ichigo Kurosaki?" The man asked.

"What? How do you know my name?!" Ichigo replied.

"Almost all of Soul Society know you. As a captain I have been informed of all your meddlesome activities."

Byakuya glared at Mayuri. "We came here for some information."

Mayuri rolled his eyes and let them inside.

The interior looked much larger than the outside. A large monitor took up most of one wall. A keyboard sat nearby on an old table. The lights cast a strange green hue over the whole house.

"I suppose this is about my poor Nemu. They took her and threatened her with death."

Everyone gazed at Mayuri. "How did you-"

He showed them a hand with a note clasped in its fingers.

"It was in my fridge. I only found it a few minutes before you arrived."

The note read:_ Your little princess is trapped in a tower far from home. Her death looms closer as she waits for daddy to save her. P.S. Not every story has a happy ending!! _

A smiley face was drawn under the writing.

"I already know who the man is who took her. A one Syzzayel Apporro Grantz. I'm trying to find his place of residence but I havent found anything yet." Mayuri sat down at the keyboard and rapidly tapped buttons.

The others sat down on dusty old chairs and sat in silence.

Mayuri broke the silence as he informed them on all the facts he had discovered.

"They have only a handfull of members and half of them are already dead. From what we know, there is only four members left. And they will all be at one place until they decide their next move. They rely solely on our radio calls to plan their attacks, so simply not using the radio will cause them to stay where they are. I assume you have assembled the force."

Byakuya shook his head. "Unfortunately, everyones been split up and sent to the past crime scenes."

Mayuri's eyes bulged. "What!? You fools that's what they knew you would do!"

Ichigo thought he understood. "Wait, so you're saying they chose three places all far from each other because they knew we would be split up and be easier to attack."

"And they used the radios to know when to strike. Those clever bastards!" Renji finished the sentence.

"It's time to stop being hunted, and to become the hunters." Byakuya clenched his fist.


	6. Into The Lair

**6...Into the lair...**

UNKNOWN LOCATION

Nemu opened her eyes. Even with her eyes open all was black. She tried to lift her arms. One was chained down, the other touched a series of sharp objects. Pain rushed through her arm and she drew it back immediately. She cautiously moved her left leg. It was tied down with smooth rope. She then slowly extended the other leg. It was also tied down with a rope.

Light suddenly spilled into the room. Although the light was very dull and barely lit up, it glowed like the sun, burning Nemu's eyes.

"W-w-who...who's t-there?" she stammered. She was shivering.

No reply came and no noise followed.

She lowered her head and gazed at her body. The sharp objects she felt before were from a small modified guillotine. Instead of one blade,a row of spikes shone in the low light. They must have been used before as they were stained a terrible reddish brown.

She examined the chair she sat on. It was dark crimson, it was originally a light brown which was still visible in small patches. Dark blood formed an uncomfortable crust over the cushions which were riddled with holes.

She moaned and tried to move. The smell of many torturous deaths loomed over the small room.

She glanced at several tables on the left side. There were surgical tools littered over them, all sharing the same ominous red stains.

A small television sat on the other side. The screen flickered and a surveilance tape played under lots of static. She could barely see what was going on, but she could clearly make out her unconscious face rolled to one side. Every now and then a blurry pink circle would hover over her.

At one point it leaned over her face and kissed her. A face slowly appeared amid the pink. It was a man wearing thin glasses.

The memory of that man forcing a pill down her throat made her squirm.

_What is he going to do with me?_

An even more important question dawned on her.

_What hadhe already done to her?_

She observed the video and watched in horror at the things he had done. That man had undressed her, he had touched her, he had hit her, cut her. He then repeated those things and then done a few at the same time.

Repulsed, she shut her eyes. She silently wished for someone to save her, or kill her.

That thought scared her.

_How could I think like that! Someone will arrive soon! They'll save me! _

"I wouldnt count on it."

A male voice startled her. She craned her neck around the chair and stared at the door. It creaked and slowly a foot stepped in. The man who had tormented her smiled at her. The smile frightened her more than his bloodied hands.

He raised one wet finger to his mouth and licked the blood. He rubbed his hand over his mouth giving him a beard of blood. He licked all around his mouth and then sighed.

"When an experiment goes well...it just...makes them taste better." He spat out a splintered white object.

"I still hate the bones!"

Nemu almost threw up. As a shinigami she had seen many people get severed in half and eaten by hollows. As a policewoman she had seen innocent people thrown from rooftops and shot... but never had she been with a sadistic cannibal with a knack for torture.

"Dont worry. I won't experiment on you."

That didn't calm her down. He may not experiment on her, but he never refused to torture or eat her.

He grinned at her, displaying maroon teeth.

He strode over to her and placed a hand on her hand.

"You are beautiful. Have you ever heard the saying that everyone is more beatiful on the inside. You are externally stunning, so what lies underneath that perfect pale skin must look fantastic. Lets start with your arms."

He pulled a lever and the spiked guillotine fell onto her hand. It bit into her flesh but not completely. It only went skin deep.

The insane man then pressed a button to the left of the lever. The spikes swung over to one side, ripping the skin from her forearm at the same time.

Nemu wailed and tears poured from her eyes. She winced Szayel gazed at her exposed muscle and bone. The veins pulsed and Nemu gagged.

"Incredible. The saying was correct! This is more beautiful than any supermodel's exterior. I must see more!!."

He grabbed an upwards facing piece of skin and tugged. It tore off more flesh and made Nemu scream.

Szayel rushed to a table and ruffled through various implements of torture. He found a scalpel and ran back to Nemu's mutilated arm.

"Please...Please! Please stop! I'll do anything!"

This just provoked laughter. He grasped her chin and forced her face close to his. She could smell rotten flesh on his breath.

"My dear, everyone says that so easily. But said to a sadistic person it only tempts them to do something much worse than what they did before. For example..."

He bit into her arm and pulled loose a chunk of flesh which he chewed and swallowed right before her eyes.

She retched over to one side and moaned. She was slowly passing out until Szayel popped another pill into her mouth. In seconds she was fully awake.

"We won't have any of that! As fun as it is, it isn't the same without an audience."

He opened his mouth and bit her again.

*****

OUTSIDE AN ABANDONED WAREHOUSE

"This is where he is!! Hurry!!" Mayuri sprinted inside the old storage building, the others following close behind, guns all drawn.

They scouted the warehouse and found it had a small kitchen inside. Every storey had a huge hole cut through its centre.

"This place is falling apart! Who the hell would live here?" Ichigo rifled through a drawer in a desk.

He pulled out a pile of paper and looked through it.

Some were I.D's for various people.

"Apparently this Szayel guy doesn't live here. But a few people do. Shinji Hirako, Hiyori, Yadomaru Lisa but no Szayel."

"Impossible!! He has to be here!!"

A faint scream came from underground. All eyes fell to the floor.

"There!" Rukia shouted, pointing to a raised crack in the concrete floor.

Renji gripped one side and Ichigo grasped the other and they struggled to lift the slab. Byakuya joined them and they managed to lift it to the side. Mayuri jumped down before them and resumed running.

He stopped at a corner and signalled for the others to stop as well. Byakuya leaned out and peeked at the huge guard, Yammy. He held a chaingun and lazily gazed around.

Without a word Byakuya raised his Glock 22 and fired at the guards head. The bullet caught his ear and tore it in half.

Yammy lowered his massive weapon and grabbed his ear. He cursed and stomped.

His reaction gave Byakuya another chance to shoot. He fired more accurately and shot his centre mass. He shot Yammy four more times.

Yammy fired blindly, the streams of bullets tearing out chunks from the cave wall. Several bullets clipped Byakuya, but none hit dead on. He only had deep cuts in his arm. He didn't even wince and just pulled out a bandage and wrapped it around his arm.

"You're one tough bastard." Ichigo said, only to receive a scowl from Byakuya.

Yammy still shot randomly, yelling out curses to his attackers.

Mayuri rolled his eyes and pulled out a combat knife. "Oh, I've had enough of this!!" He walked out in the open and hurled the blade at Yammy. With excellent accuracy, the blade sunk into Yammy's right eye, continuing on into his brain. He stood perfectly still for a moment and Mayuri tensed, ready to fight back. Yammy fell limply to the ground.

The others walked past and opened the door to the underground house.

*****

INSIDE UNDERGROUND HOUSE

Syzayel stopped gorging on his victim's arm to check a computer monitor in the other room. The dusty screen showed surveilance footage of the other rooms. He glared at the intruders who had entered the house. He then studied the footage of a huge lifeless body.

"Yammy that pathetic idiot!! How could he fall that easily?! Damn it!!"

He picked up a radio and spoke into it.

"Grimmjow!! Alert the masked army! We have intruders in corridor B."

_#Why cant I kill 'em? They're fucking weak!!#_ Grimmjow replied.

"I know. But we can't waste our forces like this!! Send out the minions to make our job easier.

_#An easy fight isn't a fun fight!#_

"Just do it!! I'm busy!!"

_#You still playing with your chew toy? You're one fucked up nut job Syzayel!#_

"Yes, A fucked up nutjob who holds your life in my hands. So do as I wish or face the consequences!!"

_#Aye aye captain!#_

Syzayel put the radio down. He knew that the intruders would have heard him. The element of surprise was gone, but with the arsenal they had aquired from the station they should be able to dispose of them easily.

Bored already, Syzayel returned to his cruel feast.

*****

The group had followed a long hall into an open room. It seemed like a living room, an old dusty couch slumped in the corner and a radio on a small cracked coffee table.

"What the hell is the masked army? Is that an allied gang or something?" Ichigo asked.

"One of them...the man who has Nemu, said they were weaker than them. Since the Espada themselves are easy enough to defeat, I doubt they will be a problem...but...we could be surrounded." Mayuri replied.

There was a door on each wall of the room.

"We could split up, that way they can't surround us or attack in a large group." Renji suggested.

"Fine with me!" Byakuya loaded his firearm and wandered down the hall to the left.

"Okay. Lets all make it out alive." Renji descended a slanted hall to the right.

Mayuri had retraced his steps and found a hidden door back in the hall.

"Farewell, I'm sure this wont be too difficult." He descended a flight of stairs into darkness.

Ichigo and Rukia both walked straight ahead.

After a minute of walking in silence they decided to talk.

"Do you think Stark is here? And if he is will he attack us?"

Rukia didn't respond for a while. After several seconds she answered. "There's only one way to find out!" She loaded her machine pistol and walked faster.

They opened a blue door and walked into another crossroad, with two paths.

"Looks like we go our seperate ways now." Ichigo stepped through a doorway. Something grabbed his hand.

He whirled around to face Rukia.

"Rukia..."

"Please, please make it out alive...I...I like your cupboard."

They both laughed shakily. They knew how dangerous this rescue was.

Rukia squeezed Ichigo's hand and smiled.

She let go and sprinted away, gun in hand.

Ichigo also left.

Ichigo struggled to see in the darkness. He could only just see his hands in front of his face.

He kept hearing heavy breathing and scratching noises. Ichigo turned around despite the fact he could not see.

Something charged and knocked him over. His ribs ached from the attack and before he could roll over and get up, the unseen attacker stomped on his ribs. Ichigo spat out blood and in ragged gasps, tried to regain his breath.

Ichigo fired into the darkness, the muzzle flash lighting the room for a second.

The attacker grabbed Ichigo's arm and tried to take the gun. The two struggled but Ichigo eventually lost the weapon.

"Hmph, I was right. You're piss weak!" the intruder said.

Ichigo kicked the air and hit his target. A quiet thud came from the side. His attacker must have been slammed into the wall. Ichigo was lifted off his feet and thrown. He collided with the floor further up the hall. He tried to crawl backwards but hit a wall...or a door.

Ichigo reached up and felt around for a handle. A powerful punch connected with his jaw and he slumped down, defeated.

The attacker opened the door and dragged Ichigo away.

*****

Renji walked into a dead end. He was in a simple kitchen.

A heavy footstep behind him made Renji whirl around into a huge fist. The massive hand caught his centre mass and sent him flying. He banged his head on a knife rack and several of the blades fell down. One pinned his hand to the linoleum floor, the others landing close-by.

A very large, fat man with short cropped pink hair glared at Renji.

"I know we have never met, but still I must treat you as a hated enemy. I shall try and make your death painless." He strode over and raised a fist high in the air.

Renji rolled to the side, but forgot the knife in his hand. The movement had nearly cut his hand in half. Blood gushed from his hand and he struggled to stop the flow.

The man just watched and waited. "I dont hate you, so I can give you some mercy."

A dishcloth hung from a hook on a pantry. Renji snatched it and pressed down on his injured hand. The pain was excruciating and surprisingly tears streamed down his face.

"Excuse me, but I happen to know first aid. I shall help you." The large man ambled over and started to treat Renji.

Renji was completely confused but still thanked the man who introduced himself as Hachigen.

*****

Rukia had walked into a pink room. There were three beds, all pink and a white cupboard. Pictures of rabbits, some resembling Chappy, adorned the walls.

Rukia beamed and picked up a plush rabbit. She hugged it and put her gun down.

"He's cute isn't he?"

Rukia spun around.

A girl in a white jumpsuit and green hair waved at her.

_Why is she being friendly?_

A girl with glasses walked in behind the other girl. She wore a uniform from another school and carried a mens magazine in one hand. She sat on one bed and started to read. She noticed Rukia staring and frowned. "What?! I like chicks! Have you got a problem with that?"

Memories of the hotel incident flashed through her mind and she began to cry.

Another girl, smaller and younger than the others stomped in. She frowned, a small fang sticking out the corner of her mouth. "Why havent you killed her yet?!"

Rukia looked up through teary eyes and tried to speak. She couldn't say a word, only cry hysterically.

"This is gonna be to easy!" The fanged girl did a run up and performed an aerial kick.

Rukia ducked and picked up her gun. She pulled the trigger but shot nothing, her emotions sabotaging her aim.

Fang-girl spun on her heel and kicked Rukia's gun hand. The weapon went sliding across the room.

Rukia dived only to be grabbed by the girl in glasses. She propped her up for fang-girl to use her as a punching bag.

Rukia snapped out a leg and hit fang-girl's jaw. Blood dripped out and she wiped it away. She went in for another punch but Rukia drove her foot into the knee of the woman in glasses.

The girl with glasses collapsed as the bones in her leg snapped.

Rukia rolled backwards, collecting her gun and landing in a crouch. She quickly let loose a few rounds.

Fang-girl limped forward, intent on killing her enemy. "You Bitch!" She spat.

Rukia silenced her by emptying the clip. She reloaded and aimed at the green haired girl. The girl held her hands up. "Don't shoot! I'll tell you where our master is!"

Rukia smiled. "Why don't you show me."

*****

Ichigo could barely see. His head felt like it had been hit by a truck. He had been dragged for a while now.

He was in a fire-lit room. The fireplace flickered. Expensive furniture was scattered in a semi-circle around the fire-place.

He was let down hard and his already throbbing head clanged against the wooden floor. Ichigo sat up. A cell holding two familiar people was on the far side of the room.

The two captives stared at Ichigo as a blue haired man approached the cell.

"I thought it would be fun to watch these guys get their revenge on you." The blue haired man, Grimmjow, opened the cell.

"We cant kill him!!" Lilinette wailed. "He's our friend! We can't!!"

Ichigo half smiled. They were on his side.

Grimmjow slapped the poor girl and then rammed her into the cell bars. "You do what I say you snivelling little bitch!!!"

Through ragged sobs she agreed. Stark nodded and approached Ichigo. He leaned close and whispered into his ear. "Don't worry. I'll get us out." He rose and nodded to Grimmjow.

Ichigo tried to stand but was punched by Stark. The blow didn't hurt like he expected.

Stark winked and mouthed the words: 'Play along'

Ichigo faked a roar of pain and then writhed around on the floor grasping his chest.

Grimmjow laughed and pulled out a flick-knife. "You gotta be shittin me. That was fake. If that punch was as hard as it should be, I would have heard his ribs break. Do it right or I kill her!!"

He grabbed Lilinette and held the blade up to her throat.

Stark faced Grimmjow. "If you hurt her..."

"I'll kill you afterwards!!" Grimmjow smiled. He clapped and three men kneeled before him.

"These are my guards. Try and hurt me and you'll die four times before you hit the ground!!"

Stark's shoulders slumped.

"Now...Kill him!!"

Stark picked Ichigo up by the throat. "Where's your gun?" He asked quietly.

Ichigo pointed at the floor below him. A shiny handgun lay there.

Stark threw Ichigo and picked up the gun.

The bodyguards all charged at him, all brandishing knives.

An obese guard slashed at Stark who easily dodged. Stark fired a bullet into the man's forehead and he died immediately.

"Ichigo!! Get up and help me!!"

"No need." Rukia sprinted into the room and shot down a guard with a large shell shaped turban atop his head.

Grimmjow lunged at Stark as his last guard turned on Rukia.


	7. Rescue The Princess

**7...Rescue the princess...**

**Please review my story. I would like feedback on what you think as it will help me improve.**

DEEP UNDERGROUND

Mayuri had found an underground laboratory. Beakers full of strange liquids were held in large racks on the walls. Tubes containing deformed animals and children were stowed in a corner.

Mayuri stared in disgust.

_This is amateur experimentation. I passed this phase fifty years ago. He mustn't be very smart if he's still stuck on this. He's an idiot. Children are pathetic test subjects...the parents are the ones that achieve results!_

It suddenly dawned on him that he only had a combat knife to protect himself. If he was attacked by more than three people at once he would die for sure.

A muffled scream made his skin crawl. It was definitely Nemu.

He ran for a short time but quickly grew tired of it. He approached a bloodied door and passed a large monitor. He wrenched the handle and burst through the door.

Nemu was tied to a chair, encrusted in dried blood. One arm was out of view but the rest of her body looked fine so he assumed she was unhurt.

A startled face rose up from the hidden arm, scraps of muscle and flesh clinging to his lips.

Mayuri walked around the chair and noticed that the arm that was hidden was mauled. The forearm had no skin and the muscle was eaten away, exposing patches of bone.

Nemu cried and extended her healthy arm out to her father. "Please...help..."

Mayuri drew his blade and severed the restraint on her right leg.

Szayell whistled and a young man with long, straight blonde hair entered the room.

Szayell nodded to him. "You know what to do...brother."

Mayuri tensed, ready to strike as the man introduced himself. "Hey Bro, the names Illfort, Illfort Grantz."

Mayuri darted around the chair and slashed Szayell on the shoulder. He was aiming for his eye but his opponent had better reflexes than he anticipated. Illfort came from behind, trapping Mayuri.

Szayell brandished an oversized scalpel, his brother chose to weild a pistol which he held on it's side.

Mayuri wasn't an athlete, he couldn't dodge multiple attacks at once. There was no avoiding injury, but he decided the gun was more dangerous than a scalpel, even if the blade was twice as large as a normal one.

Mayuri thrust the knife into the barrel of Illfot's gun rendering it useless.

Szayell swung his scalpel in an arc down Mayuri's back. The rusted scalpel repeatedly got stuck in the flesh, fragments of it falling off into Mayuri's skin.

Mayuri turned to fight back but Illfort had produced a pair of hedge trimmers and clamped them onto his arm. Mayuri stared at his arm as it fell to the floor.

Illfort laughed, quickly joined by his brother.

Mayuri rolled his eyes and injected himself with a thick green liquid. His lost arm regenerated and he held it up to the two brothers.

"This thing happens a lot, you see I don't excell at battle so I ensure that I can regenerate quickly." He pointed a finger at them, his extremely long nail looking like a weapon itself. Every other fingernail was too short and half the length of a normal one.

The two brothers perfomed a pincer attack and caught him. Mayuri was restrained and had his knife confiscated.

Szayell laughed and glared at his foe. "Your daughter stands out too much with her arm like that...but...She wouldn't stand out if you were the same." He bit down on Mayuri's index finger and tore it off.

*****

Byakuya had walked non-stop for too long. He had heard no noise other than his own footsteps the whole time. He came to a dead end and decided to go back. He would take another path and meet up with the others. He started his walk and still there was no noise.

He returned to the crossroads and took a different path. It was the centre path. He wandered in silence again through a dark corridor which led to another split path. In the silence he cursed to himself and took the left path.

He walked into a girls bedroom. A small girl lay dead on the floor. A girl with glasses gazed up at him from the corner.

"Please...please help me!" Her leg had bent outward in an open fracture, the knee split and the other leg bones cracked and snapped.

Byakuya had to turn away at the sight of the bone jutting out of her skin.

Byakuya called an ambulance with his radio. He picked up the girl and left the room.

*****

DEEP UNDERGROUND

Szayell had eaten most of Mayuri's forearm, including the bones. Somehow his mouth had fit completely around the arm. It looked like a python eating another snake.

Mayuri snarled as he tried to think.

He was running out of time, Szayell was up to the elbow now.

The awful noise of bones being chewed disrupted any thoughts. Blood gushed like a waterfall around the madmans lips. The floor was now a pool of life fluid.

Mayuri's eyes were starting to slide shut. He bit his tongue to wake himself. The world was turning black. He had to act fast!

Szayell was munching through the bicep now.

_I've got it!!_

Mayuri pulled out the syringe of green fluid. He jabbed it into his opposite shoulder.

Szayell's eyes widened.

Mayuri's arm was growing back...into his mouth!!

Szayell drew his head back as the arm had healed to the elbow. The forearm grew into his mouth and soon a wrist poked the back of his throat. A balled fist sprouted out the back of his head spraying gore over the room.

Mayuri wrenched his hand back, out through Szayell's head. He shook his hand in an attempt to clean it. The usually sheet-white skin stained a dark maroon.

Illfort threw up and collapsed. Mayuri walked over and inspected him.

"Hmm. He's fainted. That makes this much easier. An arm for an arm!"

He picked up the hedge clippers and removed one of Illfort's arms. He then picked up the body and dropped it onto one of the tables littered with tools.

"I haven't done a dissection in a while..." Mayuri grinned.

*****

Byakuya had reached the entrance to the underground house when he realised a terrible mistake.

_The ambulance!! I used the radio!! They would have heard!! _

Two men approached him.

Byakuya asked the girl who they were.

"Love and Rose. They're both fierce fighters."

Byakuya nodded and set her down, reaching for his holster.

He fired at Love. The shot only hit his hair which was a star-shaped afro.

Rose pulled out a sawn off musket and fired. He caught Byakuya's collar bone.

Byakuya fell as his vision blurred. Darkness drowned his world but while there was still light he thought of his little sister-in-law...

*****

Rukia suddenly shuddered. Her opponent got the upper hand and threw her into the wall.

_What was that feeling just then?! _

She started to shiver and was paralysed.

_What is wrong with me?!_

Grimmjow's guard back-fisted her jaw. He then chopped her neck.

Her body went numb and she lay down.

"It is not in me to kill a defenceless woman. That is my masters job." The guard walked away.

Stark hooked a punch into Grimmjow's side.

Grimmjow hunched over allowing Stark to perform an uppercut into his chin.

Grimmjow fell back and drew his flick-knife. He threw it and it sliced across Stark's cheek.

Stark grunted and knocked Grimmjow down with an axe kick.

Stark had knocked Grimmjow down so much but it seemed to barely affect him. Grimmjow kept rising back up in a matter of seconds. Even the two gun shots in his chest didn't seem to slow him down.

"What the hell are you?!" Stark asked.

Grimmjow wiped blood from his mouth and smirked. "I'm your killer!!" He lunged and burrowed his fist into Stark.

Although it was only a punch, it seemed like he was hit by a sledge-hammer. Stark fell through the wall. He retched up blood in spasmic coughs.

Ichigo watched on helplessly. His brain felt like it had been crushed after Grimmjow's powerful punch.

When Grimmjow punched it was like his hands morphed into cinder blocks.

_How are we supposed to stop him?_

Grimmjows guard leaned down and strangled him.

"I can not kill a woman, but a pathetic man like yourself is no problem!"

The guard constricted Ichigo's neck. It felt like a vice was closing down on his throat. Ichigo could feel his adams apple get squashed against his windpipe.

Ichigo couldn't breathe, his life almost drained but the guard suddenly stopped.

An eye fell next to Ichigo's face. He screamed and gagged. He looked up at the guards face where a sharp horn protruded from his eye socket.

The guard fell and Lilinette stood there sobbing, her horned mask dripping red.

"I didn't want to do this...I thought it would be fun! I thought me and Stark were just gonna be able to make some money making drugs! It wasn't supposed to end up like this!!" She fell to her knees.

"We didn't know they were murderers! They didn't meniton murder! They tricked us!"

Ichigo shakily raised a hand to wipe away the tears from her face.

"Shh. It's not your fault. They did this and I swear...We'll get them back for what they did!"

Lilinette half smiled and then stood up.

"Lilinette..?"

She lowered her head at Grimmjow.

"No!! Don't do it he's too strong!!" Ichigo roared.

She didn't stop and charged at Grimmjow, her horn aimed at his heart.

When she was three steps away Grimmjow dodged and drove his elbow into the mask. It shattered and his elbow slammed into her head.

She fell but was caught by her foe who then lifted her by the throat.

She whimpered as he tightened his grip.

Stark cried out to her but another mouthful of blood made him retch.

"You're an annoying one aren't you. Why don't you...Stay in the corner and don't move again!!!"

He hurled her across the room onto the corner of a coffee table. Her spine collided with the sharp corner and she lay still.

Ichigo, Stark and Rukia all called her name but none were answered.

Lilinette remained face down on the floor.

Stark struggled to his feet and gritted his teeth. "You bastard!! I'll kill you!!" In pained limps he edged his way towards Grimmjow.

Grimmjow smiled. He drew back his arm, prepared to punch.

Stark hesitated. He knew he couldn't fight him now. The first punch shattered his ribs. A second blow would kill him.

Grimmjow's smile faded. "Aww, where's your bravado now? You're a dissapointment Stark. You got soft...all because of that little slut!" He spat at Lilinette.

"Leave her out of this you fucking monster!" Stark almost charged but luckily composed himself before he got himself killed.

"Stark!!"

He turned around to see Ichigo rising shakily to his feet.

"Ichigo..."

"I'll take the left side. You take the right." Ichigo grinned and clenched a fist.

Stark nodded and the two raced forward.

Grimmjow darted between them and axe kicked Ichigo. The force broke his shoulder and Ichigo collapsed in a heap.

Stark managed to land two punches on Grimmjow but they seemed ineffective.

"My gun!!" Rukia yelled to him.

Stark looked back and saw the machine pistol on the floor. He ran at Grimmjow and jumped into him. He used the momentum to flip backwards through the air and land next to the gun. He grabbed it and fired off three rounds. Two of the bullets had hit Grimmjows jaw.

Grimmjow smiled. The torn flesh and splintered bones made him look like something out of a horror movie. He spat out severeral teeth and one of the bullets. "Nice...your better than I thought!"

Stark emptied the clip into his enemy. When it was empty, he dropped the gun and his knees buckled. He coughed up more red liquid and his eyes closed shut. He was slowly falling unconscious. He lay on the ground and glared at his enemy, still and bloodied. His vision was eclipsed and all went black.

*****

Rose studied the body lying before him. He reloaded his sawn-off musket and pointed the barrel at his head. "I'm sorry but I must take your life."

A loud barking startled him. "Is that a dog?" he asked his companion.

"Dunno, I'll check." Love set off up to the surface. He opened the cement lid to glare into the hungry eyes of a huge dog. That was the last thing he ever saw.

Rose could still hear growling but ignored it, returning to his task. He cocked the weapon and pointed the barrel at Byakuya.

His finger slowly drew back the trigger.

A large hound barreled into him. His shot missed and hit the rocky ground.

The huge dog wore a spiked collar with a tag reading: Captain. It stood taller than any dog Rose had ever seen. Even a wolf seemed like a puppy compared to this beast. The dog buried it's snout into Roses neck.

He gurgled as the massive dog tore out his trachea.

Rose went blind. All was white and he couldn't make out any noises. Large sprays of red interrupted the serene white that was his vision. He tried to smell the air but found that he couldn't even feel his nose. He raised a hand and found only a shard of bone and scraps of flesh.

The dog had eaten his nose and one cheek.

Rose felt bone being exposed to the air. His throat was filling fast with blood. His arteries were ripped open allowing bright red fluid to spurt out like a hideous fountain.

The dog was still chewing on his face.

Roses eyes rolled into the back of his head as he drowned in his own blood.

A police officer in sunglasses approached the dog. He put a leash around it's neck and petted him.

"Good boy! Looks like we got here just in time."

The officer waved a hand and a group of paramedics lifted Byakuya and an unconscious girl onto stretchers which were lifted back up to the surface.

He had overheard the radio call for an ambulance and arrived as soon as he could.

None of the other officers had heard and he dicided that he was more than enough to help.

_I hope the others are alright._

*****

UNDERGROUND

Nemu awoke with a start. She had a strange sensation in her arm. She gazed at what was supposed to be a mass of torn muscle and bones which now was pefectly fine. She swore it looked more...manly than before.

She tried to flex her fingers but they were slow to respond.

Her restraints were all undone and she lay on a couch in a different room.

"Don't strain your new arm. The nerves arent fully healed yet." Mayuri called from across the room.

_New arm?!_

"Um...Mayuri...What happened?"

Mayuri pointed to a large monitor on the wall. It showed surveilance footage of the torture chamber.

Szayell lay sprawled on the floor, a gaping hole in his head.

On an opperating table an eviscerated corpse lay in a deep pool of blood.

Nemu covered her mouth with her hands, well at least one was. She noticed that the dissected corpse was missing it's left arm...the same side Nemu's 'new' arm was on.

"Mayuri...did you...?"

"Yes. Unfortunately, that stupid fool didn't have very good equipment but things still turned out well."

Nemu gagged. She had a transplanted arm!!

"Don't look so shocked. It pain's me to see that my genius repulses you." Mayuri frowned. "The princess always approves of her form of rescue, no matter how the dragon is slain." He waved a finger at her as if it was a lesson.

"It's over now. The Espada should all be dead now."

******* **

Rukia crawled over and hugged Ichigo. She planted her lips on his and they embraced each other.

"It's over." They glanced over at Grimmjow, his body covered in bullet holes. He hadn't moved for ten minutes now so they assumed he was dead.

They sat with their arms around each other gazing into the fireplace.

"What's over...Ha..ha!"

The two almost fainted at the sickening rasping voice.

They craned their necks around and stared wide eyed at Grimmjow slowly rising. His body was bloodied and beaten and his movements were sluggish. But still, an entire clip of bullets failed to keep him down. He glared at them with one eye, the other split apart by a bullet, which still stuck out of the soft eyeball. A jelly-like substance oozed out of his socket and slid down his cheek, which was torn to shreds.

"H-h-how?!" Ichigo searched around the room for a weapon. He signalled for Rukia to back away. They retreated to the fireplace where a poker sat in a metal basket. Ichigo snatched it and girpped the handle hard.

Grimmjow limped forward, one arm flopping to his side as it's nerves were severed. One knee was shot out making Grimmjow limp awkwardly.

Ichigo propped himself up against the wall.

Grimmjow licked his lips and lurched forward. He was closing in on Ichigo.

Rukia crawled to a cabinet where a bottle of whiskey sat on a shelf. She wrenched open the lid and splashed it all over Grimmjow.

The liquor stung in his wounds and he hunched over. He swung his good arm into Rukia and sent her sprawling in front of the fireplace.

Rukia reached into the fire. Her skin went numb from the heat as she pulled out a burning piece of wood.

"Hey Grimmjow!!" she yelled.

Grimmjow stared at her and his eyes bulged as she threw the wood. It slammed into his leg and flames raced up his body. A sickening shriek escaped his lips as his skin blackened. He didn't fall and instead took a pained step towards Rukia.

She squealed as he clasped his hands around her throat.

Blank white eyes glared at her, burning through her.

Through the flames she could tell his mouth was twisted up in a snarl. His burning hands singed her neck and she squealed as the bang of hair across her forhead caught fire.

Ichigo called out to her but she failed to notice, the burning dead eyes of Grimmjow hypnotizing her.

Ichigo brought the poker down on Grimmjow's skull. It sunk in with a wet 'shunk.'

The hook had buried itself into his head and when Ichigo wrenched his arms back, Grimmjows head fell apart. The floor was splattered with gore as Grimmjow fell.

Ichigo dragged Rukia away and forced a grin. "Now it's over!"


	8. Last Target

**8...Last Target...**

**Please review.**

KARAKURA JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

THE NEXT DAY

Orihime strolled down the hall into her classroom. She felt incredibly lonely, Tatsuke was sick, Ishida was at the optometrist (His glasses were smashed in P.E) and Chad never talked. Worst of all, Her hero/love interest Ichigo hadn't come to school for two weeks.

Orihime took out a small mobile phone and rang the Kurosaki house. She had already called three times today but the call was never answered. This time was no different.

She swore and threw the phone to the ground.

"Geez, take it easy Orihime!" said one of Ichigo's friends, Mizuiro.

She grasped his shirt collar and almost lifted him off the ground. "Where is he?! Have you seen him?!"

"Who? Ichigo?"

"YES!!"

"Um...no. He hasn't rang for weeks."

She let go and sat down. Usually, even when he was busy, Ichigo would call her. But he hadn't contacted her for so long. She was beginning to worry.

The teacher arrived and the class began.

*****

Outside, a person muttered to themselves in a deep growl. "Target..."

They then spoke in a shrill whisper. "...Identified!"

*****

KARAKURA POLICE STATION

The whole force sat in a circle around a ruined desk.

They were called by radio to help search and evacuate the warehouse. Mayuri sat away from the group with his daughter.

Ichigo and Rukia sat with Stark and Lilinette.

Lilinette held crutches on her lap. Her spine wasn't broken before, it was just bruised. She had a little trouble walking and so was aided by crutches.

Byakuya was in hospital. The doctors were unsure whether he would recover.

The rest of the force gathered around Renji and Hachigen.

Hachigen told them about how his friends were threatened into letting the Espada use their warehouse as a base. He said that they had held them at gunpoint and told them to build an undergroung building. The warehouse was originally a meeting place for the masked army, a gang that Hachigen was in. According to the Espada, those that were there were the only members left and that they were hiding until they got more members.

Several officers wrote down notes while he talked.

Hachigen was asked about how many of the masked army were still alive. He told them that one was in hospital with Byakuya and that three others were missing.

"Two of them were taken somewhere else by the Espada, They said it was because they were too reckless and the Espada didn't want to attract attention. The other one was underground. I think she may have killed her though." Hachigen pointed to Rukia.

"Yes. She tried to attack me so I shot her." Rukia said solemnly, bowing her head.

Hachigen continued. "All the Espada are dead now. I'm sorry for your losses. Now excuse me I would like to leave now."

Ukitake gave him permission to leave.

When he left they all cheered. They had defeated the Espada!

*****

KARAKURA JUNIOR HIGH

Class ended and Orihime once again wandered the corridors alone. She went into the girls toilets and entered a cubicle. She didn't actually need the toilet but it was where she went to be alone. She sat down and again called the Kurosaki house. The phone was answered.

_He's answered!! He's okay!! He's..._

An unknown voice spoke into the phone. "Hello miss Inoue."

Orihime shivered. "W-who is this?"

"Names are not important. All you need to know is that the man you love will never again see your face."

Orihime dropped the phone and her whole body shook. She began to cry out of fear.

"Are you alright?" A girl asked from outside the cubicle.

"Yes...I'm fine."

The voice outside spoke again but it sounded higher and more like a shriek. "Are you Orihime?"

"Y-yes. Who are you?"

The voice turned very deep. "I'm your death!"

The cubicle door was ripped off it's hinges. A man with a tall mask glared down at her.

"W-what are you?" Orihime stammered.

The man removed the mask to reveal a tank full of red liquid in which floated two deformed shrunken white heads. They resembled skulls somewhat but were spherical.

The two heads spoke in unison making an awful sounding mix of high and low. "I'm Aaroniero."

Orihime screamed as loud as she could. "HELP MEEEEEE!!!!"

Aaroniero removed a glove on his hand and a trio of tentacle-like fingers snaked out.

"What!?" Orihime cowered from the deformed fingers.

The man reached into his coat and pulled out a long thin dagger.

The door behind them opened and Chizuru, one of Orihime's friends poked her head in. She screamed and almost fell over. She stared at the floor.

Orihime moved so she could see what it was that was more shocking than the thing in front of her.

The girl who talked to her earlier lay dead on the floor, her throat slit. It was then that she noticed the dagger Aaroniero held still dripped blood.

"Chizuru!! Get help!!!" Orihime screamed.

Chizuru turned and ran but the deformed killer followed.

"NO!! Chizuru!!" Orihime sprinted out the door to see her friend get caught. She could hear Chizuru scream and then fall silent as her neck was twisted sharply. Chizuru went limp and fell to the ground.

Orihime ran down a different corridor. She ran outside where the students stood in organized lines.

Men dressed in white held them at gunpoint.

The men hadn't noticed her so she dashed back inside. She turned her head in different directions, unsure where to go.

Footsteps behind her made her sprint off.

*****

KUROSAKI HOUSE

Ulquiorra strolled through the living room to the kitchen. He walked over to the two girls tied to chairs.

They tried to scream but they were gagged.

Ulquiorra glared at them, his unfeeling eyes defunct of emotion. "You need not worry. Your brother is my target not you. As long as you dont interfere, no harm will be inflicted upon you."

Yuzu shook her head and mumbled something.

Ulquiorra removed the duct tape from her mouth.

"Daddy will be back soon!! He'll stop you!!"

Ulquiorra did not respond to her and just walked away.

He picked up a radio and called the station.

"Greetings Kurosaki Ichigo."

*****

KARAKURA STATION

Ichigo's blood ran cold and every hair on his body stood up. The radio call was for him!!

_#I know what you're thinking! We Espada are extinct aren't we? Hmph. You stupid fools! You actually believed we would hide like rats in a filthy underground cave. Pathetic. I mourn the loss of my brothers and I know you are responsible! As a fitting punishment I have organised a test. There are two options and no matter which one you choose, Someone you love will die!!#_

Ichigo was paralysed. He couldn't breathe. All he could do was listen on.

_#One Path...Your school. All of your dear friends, and the girl who loves you. The second path...Your own house.#_

Ichigo's eyes widened and he broke out in a sweat. Tears he couldn't even feel dropped down his cheeks. His family, his little sisters could die!!

_#Go into the armoury Ichigo. There you will find a gift. Play it for your friends.#_

Rukia ran to the armoury and found a video tape. She ran back and fed it into a VCR.

The tape showed Ichigo's school. Windows were broken and bodies hung out of some. The rest of the students were assembled in lines, on their knees. Ichigo recognized someone immediately.

A brown haired boy was dragged by his hair towards the camera.

"Keigo!!!" Ichigo gasped.

The boy, Keigo faced the camera. Blood dribbbled out of his nose and tears flowed rapidly.

"Please...Please...SAVE ME ICHIGO!!!!"

A pistol was brought up to his face and fired.

Ichigo roared at the tv, trying to attack the on-screen killer.

Zaraki had to restrain him.

On the screen, Keigo fell slowly. A group of girls behind him wailed.

A Gothic looking girl in a short skirt approached them. She scraped her nails across one girls face and then pulled out a pistol.

The girls begged for mercy and they were all shot point blank in the head.

"NNNOOOOOOOOO!!!" Ichigo cried. "THOSE MONSTERS!! I'LL MAKE THEM PAY!!"

On screen the goth female Espada waved and smiled. She held up a dead girl and used her as a puppet. She made it wave and then threw it to the ground.

Then a large fluid filled jar covered the screen. Inside the red water, two hideously deformed faces glared at him through half closed eyes. It then lifted a head up to face the camera.

This face terrified Ichigo more than Keigo's. It was Orihime!!

She screamed into the camera. "PLEASE ICHIGO!!!! SAVE ME!!! I LOVE YOU!!!"

Ichigo hunched over. His stomach felt like it was on fire. His heart felt like it had been ripped in half, then cut into tiny pieces. His body spasmed with fear and his teeth were clenched so hard that his jaw hurt.

_She just said...she...loved...me? What the fuck am I gonna do?!_

The scene ended on the tape and then showed Ichigo's house. Uluqiorra stood against a wall, his face conveying no emotion.

"Hello Ichigo. You have a very rude family. I had to teach them some manners."

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM YOU BASTARD!!!" Ichigo growled at the screen.

The camera panned down and revealed Ichigo's father lying on the floor.

Ulquiorra rolled him over so that Ichigo could see his face.

Uluqiorra then flattened his hand and drove it into his victims chest.

"DAD!!!"

Ulquiorra withdrew his hand and blood sprayed his face and body. He licked the blood from his face and then dragged Ichigo's father into the next room, the kitchen.

Ichigo's sisters screamed and one threw up.

"N...n...no." Ichigo almost fainted. His hands shook uncontrollably and he threw up himself.

The officers spread out to dodge the vomit and then tried to comfort Ichigo.

Onscreen, Ulquiorra's mouth slightly moved up into a hint of a smile. "The choice is yours. Goodbye." The video cut off there.

Ichigo trembled. His body wouldn't stop shaking. A low growl escaped his lips. He clecnhed his fists and his body convulsed.

"GGGGRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!"

*****

KARAKURA JUNIOR HIGH

An elderly man sat on an office chair outside. He was using it as a makeshift throne. He glared at the students who werent already executed. They had wiped out a quarter of the school already.

"King Barragan, What shall we do with the rest of them." A masked man with long blonde hair waved a hand at the students.

"We should just kill 'em!!" A tanned man with black hair spat.

"Well...That boy hasn't arrived yet so I say we shall take a few more until he gets here." The elderly man dismissed them and they told the others.

Another massacre ensued, students dying helplessy.

Barragan smiled.

*****

KARAKURA STATION

Ichigo stared at the ground. His eyes stung from the tears, his brain exhausted from thought. He couldn't decide what to do.

Rukia and Renji both patted him on the back.

"We'll get 'em!!" Renji said foricng a weak smile.

A wooden clack made Ichigo gaze up. Lilinette slowly made her way over, Stark by her side.

"Looks like we both get revenge now." Stark said.

Ichigo smiled slightly but his mind still raced.

"What do I do? There's more lives at stake at school, but my family would all be killed!"

"Everyone will go to the school, except you Ichigo. From the video, we know there's only one at your house and the rest are at the school. You can meet up with us afterwards."

Ichigo stood up and grabbed a set of car keys. Without a word he sprinted out the door and sped off.

It was five minutes until Ichigo realised he couldn't drive. His mind was elsewhere when he got into the car. He struggled to control the car as he sped along the busy roads. He paniced and tried to break but put his foot down on the accelerator instead.

Another car pulled out of its driveway just ahead.

Ichigo again tried to brake but wasn't fast enough.

The two masses of steel collided, both drivers thrown around by the force. Glass shot out of the rubble into Ichigo and the other driver.

Ichigo looked into the other car. The driver was a middle aged man. He was dead.

Ichigo dragged himself out of the car and limped towards his house.

*****

KARAKURA JUNIOR HIGH

Six marked cars stopped outside the gate and fully armed officers jumped out.

Zaraki,with Yachiru clinging to his back, darted inside before anyone was ready.

A small silver haired officer handed a sub-machine gun to a large breasted woman. Another girl with her black hair in a bun approached them.

"Um...Toshiro, Matsumoto? How does this work?" The girl asked holding out a pistol.

Toshiro, silver hair, instucted her on how to fire the weapon. He also commanded her to stay behind him at all times.

She reluctantly agreed and followed her team inside the gates.

Iba opened a large cage and let Captain out. He put him on a leash and then entered the school followed by Hisagi who armed himself with two Beretta pistols.

Ukitake went in with Kiyone. Ukitake weilded a Glock 17 while Kiyone carried an assault rifle.

Shunsui Kyouraku, a man with a slight beard, wearing a rice farmer hat, strolled out of a car. He was followed by Renji and Rukia.

Rukia loaded her machine pistol as Renji fed cartridges into his combat shotgun.

Locked and loaded, the last of the Karakura Cops charged in for their last stand.


	9. Last Stand

**9...Last Stand...**

**Please review.**

NEAR KARAKURA HIGH SCHOOL

A taxi drove through a red light and continued down the road.

Inside Ulquiorra held the steering wheel, the deceased taxi driver was hidden in the back.

Yuzu was trapped inside the boot of the car. Her muffled whimpering was still audible.

He parked the car a block away from the school. He frowned slightly when he noticed the police vehicles outside the gates.

_This could be a problem._

He got out of the car and unloaded a large box. Inside was a coffin. He opened the boot and crammed the little girl inside the coffin. He then taped shut the box and carried it to the gate.

When he got there an officer in sunglasses blocked him from entering.

"I'm sorry but this school is off limits."

Ulquiorra tried to think of an excuse but couldn't think of one. He used his free hand to impale the officer.

The dog by his side snarled at him but Ulquiorra reached into his pocket and pulled out a dog whistle. He blew on it and the dog yelped and ran away.

Ulquiorra dried his hand on Iba's shirt and then proceeded inside.

*****

KUROSAKI HOUSE

Ichigo wrenched the door open and peered inside. He saw his father, pale and bloodied.

Ichigo had to look away and went a different way to the kitchen.

Karin was tied to a chair. She almost fainted when she saw Ichigo.

"Karin! Are you alright?!"

"Ichi!! Forget about me!! Help Yuzu!! He took her!!" She screamed between sobs.

"What?! Where?!" Ichigo demanded.

"I dont know!" Karin fell unconscious, her head rolling forward lazily.

Ichigo untied her and called an ambulance. He decided to wait for the ambulance before he left.

*****

The corridors were ablaze. Ukitake, Kiyone, Toshiro, Matsumoto and Hinamori were all trapped.

Hinamori started to freak out.

Matsumoto slapped her in the face. "Hinamori we cant afford to panic right now!! We need to get out of here!!"

Hinamori calmed down and reached for her gun.

Insane laughter came from down the corridor.

"I'll avenge my master by killin' you rats!! Hahahaha!!"

The enemy had introduced himself before using a flame-thrower on them. His name was Edorad. He was a bulky man with red streaks in his hair. He had burned both ends of the corridor, stopping the officers from escaping.

The flames were closing in and pretty soon they would all be dead.

*****

Shuhei Hisagi retuned to his post as a guard at the gates. He squinted at his commrade, Iba who lay on the ground facing away from Hisagi.

"Hey Iba!! Get up for fucks sake!! You're supposed to be guarding this place!!"

Iba didn't respond.

"Hey!! Listen to me!!" Hisagi rolled Iba over and gazed into the gaping hole in his chest.

Hisagi unholstered both Beretta pistols and whirled around, his body tense.

"Come out of your hole you bastards!! Fight like a man!!" Hisagi roared.

"Very well."

A masked blonde man walked out from the main office only twenty steps away. He was unarmed besides the blades attached to his wrists.

"My name is Findor Carrias." He bowed to Hisagi.

Hisagi fired a round but Findor dodged it with amazing speed.

Findor then dashed forwards and kicked a pistol out of Hisagi's hand.

He used the other one to fire again but Findor dodged again.

_Shit!! He's too fast!!_

Findor slashed Hisagi's other hand and his last gun fell to the ground. Findor then drilled a dagger into the weapon, rendering it useless.

"Not so strong without your weapons are you?" Findor smiled.

*****

Ichigo darted through alleyways towards the school. Every step was agony, but he knew he couldn't stop. Everyone he cared about was at risk. He owed it to the innocent citizens and students, to Keigo, to the officers that fell in the line of duty and his father. He would kill every last Espada for those that were lost.

He was three blocks away but he could hear the screams, explosions and gunfire from the school.

He turned into a hidden alleyway and stopped abrubtly. A grey haired thug glared at him, a knife in his hand.

"Please get out of the way, this is police buisness!!" Ichigo revealed his badge.

"I can't let you!! They will kill me and you!!" The man pointed the blade at Ichigo. "They will kill anyone!! They killed my best friend!! They killed Shinji!!"

Ichigo's mind retrieved the image of the I.D's in the warehouse. They were from the masked army. He then remembered Hachigen talking about the two men who were taken away by the Espada. It was Shinji and this guy.

"I'm on your side, I'm gonna get revenge for Shinji for you, but you have to let me pass." Ichigo tried to coax him.

The man shook his head and got more agitated.

"Please let me pa-"

The man lunged at Ichigo.

Ichigo immediately rolled to the side. He threw a bin at the crazed man and then sprinted off.

He vaulted over a fence and he could finally see the school.

A knife flew past his head and Ichigo spun around to face the man. He brought his gun up and aimed. "I'm sorry." Ichigo fired.

*****

The group stuck inside the burning corridor all emptied their weapons into the wall to their side. The bricks cracked and they started to shoulder charge it.

Edorad came closer and they could see him clearly now. Somehow the flames didn't seem to hurt him.

Kiyone rammed the butt of her assault rifle into the broken wall. Bricks started to dislodge.

The wall collapsed and the group fled as the corridor caved in.

Outside, the rest of the force assembled in a blockade made of corpses. On the other side of the open field the Espada had gathered an army, some were terrified students.

The small group ducked under a human wall. They found Zaraki being restrained by Renji and Kyouraku.

"They're freakin kids!! You can't kill them!!" Renji yelled at Zaraki.

Zaraki reluctantly nodded and calmed down.

The two officers let go.

Zaraki grinned at them all. "Take a good look at this face, cos it sure as hell wont look like this once I go out there!!" Zaraki leaned down so he was eye level with Yachiru.

"It's too dangerous out there kid. I want you to stay here and enjoy the bloodbath alive!"

He surprised everyone as he hugged Yachiru. He then turned and leapt over the wall, into the crossfire.

A single tear fell down Yachiru's face as she attempted a smile.

Zaraki, armed only with a bayonet, barreled into the frontline of children. He then hacked away at the Espada in the back rows.

From behind the wall, the splatters of blood was clearly audible and the echoes of gunfire rang in everyone's ears.

Yachiru shivered when she heard a heavy thud. Zaraki's maniacal laughter drowned out the orchestra of gunshots.

Renji peeked out through a small gap in the wall. "They're advancing!!"

Rukia glanced at the others. "What do we do? They're just kids!!"

"We, unfortunately have no choice. If we don't kill them then the Espada will." Kyouraku exclaimed.

Rukia dropped her gun. "I can't do this! We became police to protect!! This is slaughter!! They've driven us to murder. We've failed. We not only failed these people but ourselves. We were so easily outsmarted by the enemy, and now they expect us to attack the ones we want to save." Rukia dropped to her knees.

Her phone rang. She answered the call and listened in silence. Her expression worsened as the caller spoke. She dropped the phone and stared at the sky.

"Rukia? Are you alright?"

Rukia clenched a fist and screamed to the heavens.

"BYAKUYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"

*****

Ichigo had reached the gate and found two officers dead. One was covered in deep cuts that still bled. The other had a huge hole in his chest...just like Ichigo's father.

_That guy was here!! _

Images of Ulquiorra flashed through his mind. The sheet white face devoid of emotion, the green tears painted on his cheeks and finally, his sickening smile as he was sprayed with the blood of Ichigo's father.

He heard a familiar voice scream out someone's name. The voice sounded like Rukia.

He continued on into the school. He arrived at the field they used for P.E. It was now a battlefield, students formed weak lines armed with guns. They all cried, even the tough kids.

Corpses were everywhere. The police had built a barricade of the dead and they hid behind it struggling to make a plan.

Ichigo noticed Rukia, sobbing and curled up against the wall. Ukitake was trying to comfort her.

Ichigo broke into a sprint, trying to cross the battlefield before he was shot. He was ten steps from the barrier when a flash of white slammed into his leg.

It was Findor. He grabbed Ichigo's legs as another man grabbed his arms. They dragged him away.

Behind the barricade, Renji witnessed Ichigo being dragged away. He ran out and followed.

"Renji!!" Toshiro yelled. He turned back to his subordinates. "Stay here! I'm going to help Renji."

Before the others could respond, he was gone, dashing across the battlefield after his red-headed friend.

*****

ROOFTOP OF SCHOOL

Ulquiorra glared at the two officers who were ruining his plan. He turned around and opened the cardboard box. He took out the coffin and laid it against a railing.

The two others returned with Ichigo.

"Welcome Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo's gaze burned with hatred, but Ulquiorra could still see the hidden fear in his eyes.

The wind blew Ulquiorra's black hair across his face and into his eyes but he did not break his stare.

The two enemies stared in silence.

Ulquiorra spoke to his commrades but still stared at Ichigo. "Take care of the others. I don't want them spoiling things."

The others retreated back down to face the intruders.

Ulquiorra blnked and stepped forward. "It's about time we met face to face"

"Where's Yuzu!? Let her go and then we can settle this!" Ichigo demanded.

Ulquiorra shook his head slowly. "Ichigo, do you know whats in here?" He waved a hand at the coffin.

Ichigo's eyes widened.

"It is your beloved little sister. Now why do you think she is in a coffin?"

Ichigo's voice creaked as he tried to respond. "I-is she...you couldn't have...killed...her?"

"No. Not yet. She is in a coffin because her fate has been decided. She _will_ die."

Ulquiorra did his sickening attempt at a smile, one side slightly curved upwards. He placed a hand on the coffin and pushed it over the railing, off of the roof.

Ichigo shot his hand out, as if he could catch the coffin, but he was several metres from the edge. It was useless. He heard wood splintering and his heart stopped beating. He tried to move, but his body stiffened. Ichigo collapsed to the ground and he found himself weeping uncontrollably. His lungs struggled to catch air so Ichigo lost his breath each time he sobbed.

"Now you know the pain of losing everything you hold dear. Your colleagues..." Ulquiorra pointed down at the field where the police fought desperately against the army that had now knocked the barrier down and swarmed over the small force.

"Your friends..." He gestured towards the corpses scattered around the area.

"and your family!!" He gazed down at the destroyed wooden box. He spat and it landed inside the coffin.

Ichigo felt rage well up inside him but still couldn't move.

"And now...You will lose the most important thing of all...Your own life!" Ulquiorra booted Ichigo in the stomach and sent him flying into a raised pipe.

Ichigo groaned as his shoulder blade struck the metal pipe.

Ulquiorra stomped on his ribs, no remorse in his cold eyed stare.

Ichigo spat out blood and then gritted his teeth. He spat on Ulquiorra's foot only to be savagely beaten again.

"Hmmph, you retain your foolish arrogance even when you realise you are outmatched. You are so pathetic you make me sick!" He axe kicked Ichigo, sending his face into the cement roof.

"I was wrong to target you. I feel so stupid for actually considering you an adversary."

Ichigo raised his head to look at his enemy. "Wait. _Target _me?"

"Yes, I assesed the strengths of each officer and decided that you were the greatest threat. I made a serious mistake thinking you were."

"You targeted me from the beginning? When we caught Stark, that must have been a test." Ichigo tried to unravel the mystery.

Ulquiorra shook his head. "No, while the station was under construction."

"What! But I wasn't even involved then." Ichigo said, perplexed.

"I had someone work there the whole time. They relayed information on all the employees back to me and then I sent out spies to observe each officer."

"Someone who worked there?!"

"Yes. You had a mole working right under your nose. No one even felt suspicious. She did her job well."

"Her?" Ichigo searched his memory for all the female workers who were still alive. He found none suspicious enough to rule them out.

"No one has ever suspected the quiet, shy, scared girl." Ulquoirra smiled.

*****

Down on the field, the police had retreated back into the building. They made their way up to the top floor and hid inside Ichigo's classroom.

They were saved by Zaraki. He wasn't dead and had started a counter-attack just when the police were going to be over run. They had turned their attention to Zaraki and so, they had fled.

Yachiru stared out the window as her best friend was finally overpowered. He had killed several Espada before he was shot point blank with a shotgun.

Yachiru cried hysterically and had to have her mouth covered so they wouldn't be heard.

Unfortunately, the enemy had heard and had proceeded inside.

The door behind them fell apart and flames burst inside. Edorad stood in the doorway and laughed. He was just about to light them on fire when a bullet from behind him struck his fuel tank. Edorad's eyes bulged and he opend his mouth but he was blown apart before he could utter a scream.

Two Espada walked in, one on crutches and the other smoking a joint.

*****

Toshiro had caught up with Renji and asked him what he was doing.

Breathlessly Renji stated that he saw Ichigo get dragged up to the roof.

Toshiro heard footsteps come down the stairs. "Theres two people coming down." He whispered as he drew his weapon.

Two white flashes crossed their vision and they were knocked over.

Toshiro's gun clattered down the stairs. He shot his arm out and grasped a leg. A thin man with a helmet resembling a sabre toothed skull scowled at him and kicked him in the face.

Renji was prying a dagger away from his face.

Findor grinned and exerted more force.

Renji caught his stomach with his knee.

Findor fell to one knee as Renji used his shotgun as a club. He striked Findor in the head and sent him tumbling down the stairs. Renji aimed and fired, but Findor had rolled away from the blast. Renji shot at him two more times but still Findor rolled away.

"That clumsy weapon is too slow to catch me!" Findor laughed.

Renji grinned and pulled the trigger slightly, but not enough to fire.

Findor jumped to the left and Renji followed the movement and fired before Findor could get up. Findor was hit right on target and he was thrown into the wall. He tried to stagger to his feet but fell back down.

Renji grinned and walked down to Findor. He dragged him to a large window that covered a whole section of wall, floor to ceiling. He propped Findor up against the glass pane and stepped back. Just as he started his run-up, the other Espada sprinted up to him.

The Espada leapt through the air and kicked Renji through the window. He stood by the destroyed window and watched the two hurtle down to the ground, two storeys down.

To Renji, time seemed to slow down. He felt like he had been falling for eternity, shards of glass racing him to the hard ground. He gazed at Findor who was just above the ground now. His head landed first and it bent at a ninety degree angle with a sharp 'snap.'

Renji tried to change his position so he didn't land like that. He only managed to turn slightly and landed on his shoulder. His arm snapped and twisted around completely. He roared in pain as the pain flooded over him. Every bone ached, his internal organs felt like they were crushed in a vise and dirt had seeped into the open fracture on his shoulder. He felt a wet sensation at the back of his head and raised a shaky hand to check. Sure enough, his hand came back with crimson stains. He felt the ground behind his head and found a blunt rock.

He lay back and noticed a splintered mass of wood. It looked like it was a box or...a coffin. He used his free arm to drag his numb body over to the thing. It was empty. A note was pinned to the interior of the coffin. It read: She isn't here.

There was a smily face drawn underneath.

As Renji tried to decipher the note, he fell into unconsciousness.


	10. Sacrifice For Hounour

**10...Sacrifice for Honour...**

**Still haven't had any reviews. It would be greatly appreciated if you could review this story.**

INSIDE CLASSROOM

Lilinette dropped the large machine gun and hobbled inside, aided by crutches.

Stark leaned down and retrieved the gun and followed. "You know, those guys are closing in. We can't stay here or we're trapped."

"Where are they?" Rukia asked.

"They're all bunched up on the left side downstairs. We can rereat to the right until we find a suitable area where we can fight back." Stark replied.

They gathered their weapons and headed out into the corridor. Shunsui scouted the left path while the others went in the opposite direction. He detected no movement and left to follow the others. He didn't turn his back to check their back again. He didn't see the shirtless man with strange markings turn into the corridor. He also didn't see the man pull out an assault rifle and fire into Shunsui's back.

Ukitake turned back to see his friend fall. "Kyouraku!!" He ran back and returned fire.

The two friends fought back.

Ukitake felt his stomach burn, the pain was unbearable.

_NO!!! NOT NOW!!_

He threw up blood and fell to his knees. Soon he was on all fours, emptying his stomach.

Rukia turned back to help but Kiyone caught her arm. "Kiyone! He's going to die!! We have to help him!!" Rukia screamed.

"Rukia!! We have to leave him. It's hell for me too, but he wouldn't want us to interfere!"

Rukia pushed her away and darted towards Ukitake.

He turned back to face her and roared. "RUKIA!!! LEAVE ME!!!" Blood oozed from his lips as he commanded her.

Rukia ignored him and continued towards him.

"RUKIA!! THIS IS A BATTLE FOR HONOUR!!! REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU!!!"

Rukia stopped dead in her tracks. The night she had tried to forget flashed through her mind. The night when she had to abandon her best friend as he fought an unwinnable battle.

She screamed through ragged sobs. "NO!! I won't leave you!! I cant lose another friend to _honour!!_ I would rather have the one's I love than a stupid word with no meaning!!"

Ukitake felt a tear fall down his cheek. A bullet streaked past his face and hit the droplet. His eye's widened.

"Rukia listen to me! You have to leave now or you will disgrace yourself and me!!"

Rukia shook her head, tears flying through the air. She shot down two people who approached them. "I don't care!! Disgrace only takes away your pride. Honour takes away everything you care about!! I can live with disgrace!!"

"Well I can't!!" Ukitake brought his pistol up and aimed the barrel at his temple.

"No..." Rukia lowered her gun to her side. "NO!! YOU CAN'T!!"

Ukitake's gaze burned into Rukia's soul. He was dead serious.

"How can you place pride over your own life?!"

"Because we are soldiers." Ukitake replied.

"WE AREN'T FUCKING SOLDIERS!!! We aren't mercenaries, or warriors. We are people. People who have friends, families, loved ones." Rukia yelled.

"We are no longer people! We are souls, and souls die for the protection of people. They are the ones with families whereas we have nothing." Ukitake explained.

"That's not true!!"

"IT IS!!" Ukitake roared over Rukia. "All we have is pride and honour! So we protect it. Just like humans protect family and friends."

"But we make friendships. We cherish them because we have regained what we lost." Rukia tried to sway the argument.

"Friends come and go. They are not permanent. But honour and shame...they are eternal." Ukitake gazed into Rukia's eyes. "If a friend dies, you can replace them."

Rukia thought of Ichigo and suddenly realised she was in love with him because he looked like Kaien, the man she had to abandon for honour. She felt so stupid. She dropped her gun and weeped.

"RUKIA!! GO!!" Ukitake roared. A stream of bullets tore into his back and knocked him down.

Rukia extended a hand to help him.

"GO NOW!!!" A flood of tears descended his cheeks and he threw up blood again.

Rukia overheard him mutter under his breath. "I...have brought...shame...upon myself..."

Ukitake raised his head and glared with contempt at her. It soon faded into a weak smile. He lowered his head.

Rukia thought he was dead. She ran down the corridor to where the others had gone.

Once she was gone, Ukitake reached for her machine pistol and his own gun. He sat up and aimed both weapons at the army before him.

"FOR HONOUR!!! GRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!!"

Rukia heard the battlecry and the many gunshots that followed. She turned around and was about to go back when the gunshots ended. She wiped away tears and followed the others.

*****

Orihime hugged Yuzu. They sat in the infirmary on an uncomfortable, rigid bed. She whispered to Yuzu that they would be saved. That Ichigo would show up with a machine gun in his hand, a grenade in his mouth and a red bandana flying from his head. She told her that Ichigo would say some awesome line and then mow down all the baddies. Then they would all get Ice cream.

Yuzu giggled but stopped instantly when a deep voice growled at her to stop.

The floating heads snarled at the two girls. The thing then stroked it's bone knife with a deformed tendril.

Yuzu gagged and turned away. Orihime whispered another Rambo-esque story about Ichigo.

*****

The real Ichigo couldn't even stand. Ulquiorra had grabbed his legs and repeatedly swung them into the meal pipe on the roof. His legs were swollen and bruised and he couldn't take much weight on them.

Ulquiorra shook his head. "Honestly, your sisters put up more of a fight than you."

Ichigo spat and then grinned. "Fuck you!"

"Amazing, still a cocky little rat, even when you can't walk." Ulquiorra stomped on Ichigo's hand, the fingers cracking under the force.

"AAAAGGGGGHHHH!!!"

Ulquiorra grasped Ichigo by the hair and lifted him off the ground.

Ichigo winced.

Ulquiorra hurled him into the railing that covered the edge of the roof. Ulquiorra opened his hand and a clump of orange hair floated to the ground.

Ichigo grasped his head and felt blood trickle out of where his hair was torn out. He turned his head and looked down. The coffin was smashed apart, but it was empty! He also noticed Renji lying next to a dead Espada surrounded by broken glass.

"Yuzu, she wasn't there?"

"Oh you found out." Ulquiorra gazed at the ground.

"Where is she?!"

"Safe for now."

"That isn't good enough you bastard!!" Ichigo growled.

Ulquoirra put his hands in his pockets and walked over to his foe. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "How about we finish this!"

"What?"

Ulquiorra knelt down so he was eye level with Ichigo. He then opened his mouth wide and bit down on Ichigo's neck. He sucked up the blood that flowed and then stood back up.

Ichigo stared wide eyed at his opponent.

_He...he just...did he...suck my blood?_

Ulquiorra wiped his mouthand frowned. "Hmph. Your arrogance taints your blood. It has a bitter taste! So unlike your father."

"What!! You drank from my father!! You fucking monster!! What are you!?" Ichigo roared. Blood started to flow from his neck again.

"Don't fuss too much. You will just drain yourself. I am glad I met you Ichigo Kurosaki. Thanks to you, I know that this war will be much easier than I anticipated." He then went downstairs.

"Wait!! Come back here!!! YOU BAAAAAAAAAASTAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRD!!!!"

*****

Rukia caught up with the rest of the group. Her head was bowed and a trail of tears had gathered behind her.

"Rukia..." Matsumoto started to talk but realised now was not the best time. She silenced herself and stared at the floor.

Hinamori started to sweat. Her heart was racing, it slammed repeatedly into her ribs, hurting her. She tried to calm herself. She knew she would seem suspicious if she carried on too much. She couldn't get found out otherwise she would die! If her betrayed friends didn't, then Ulquiorra surely would! She was so lost in thought she barely heard a voice yelling at her. It was Matsumoto.

"Hinamori!! Are you alright?!" The worry was clearly visible in her expression.

"Oh...Sorry...Um...I just sorta...zoned out." Momo replied.

"Oh thank god." Matsumoto sighed with relief. "When you didn't respond I thought you had passed out or something." She giggled.

Hinamori laughed as well but shakily. She couldn't be happy when she had to betray her friends again.

*****

Toshiro had just knocked his opponent out the window, but somehow he had caught the ledge and saved himself. Toshiro frowned. "Good reflexes."

The Espada smiled. He extended a hand and grasped Hitsugaya's foot. He pulled and dragged him down. The Espada then released his grip on the ledge and fell.

Toshiro was dragged down as well. His back scraped along the broken glass and then he fell through the air.

The Espada began climbing up his body.

Toshiro threw a punch and it connected with his jaw. Toshiro then placed the Espada underneath him, to cushion his fall.

They collided with the ground with a heavy 'thud.'

Toshiro groaned as he crawled off the dead Espada. He crawled over to Renji and helped him into a sitting position. "Renji? Renji? Can you hear me?" He lighly slapped him in the face.

Renji was still unresponsive.

Tohsiro checked his pulse. Renji was still breathing! He was still alive.

*****

Barragan gasped for breath. For his age he shouldn't be running up stairs. He gathered his forces and counted what remained of the Espada. There were four left, and three of them were ex-members. He frowned and the large scar creased under the wrinkles.

An incredibly large man approached him. "My king, we have lost them." He said slowly.

"Damn it!! We may have to use it! I wanted to save it for later but, oh well." Barragan pulled out a radio. He signalled for everyone to be silent. He spoke into it. "Hello, miss Hinamori?"

A radio beeped further up the hall.

Barragan paused for a moment and then ordered his forces. "Alright, fifth door up on the left! Move out!!" He waved a hand and the army of scared students marched on.

*****

"Momo, what was that?" Matsumoto asked.

Momo frowned. "It was...Um...Ichigo?"

"Ichigo?"

"Um...yeah...he was calling to say...that he needed...um...backup."

"Where is he?" Matsumoto asked.

"He...is..." She tried to think of a random location. "...The roof."

"Alright then. We'll go help." Matsumoto walked to the door and heard footsteps. "Uh oh. They found us." She loaded her gun and then opened the door slightly.

Two Espada conversed quietly. One had a large orange afro. The other stroked a thin moustache.

Matsumoto aimed and shot down both men. She then dashed out into the corridor and ran. She called out for the rest to follow and they obeyed immediately.

The small group raced down the corridor. They turned a sharp right and then leapt down the stairs. They had gotten to the main office. The office ladies all lay slumped over their desks, no longer alive.

They turned every chance they got and ended up at an interview room. They sat on comfy chairs and gazed at each other.

Kiyone turned to Rukia. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"You weren't there." Rukia muttered.

"Sorry?" Kiyone asked.

Rukia stood up and glared into Kiyones eyes. Her stare almost hurt Kiyone who backed away. "You weren't there! If you had helped me we could have saved him!! You abandoned them to die!!"

"What? I would never.." Kiyone started.

"You left them. To be picked off by those bastards. You're just as cruel as the Espada!"

"But...Ukitake..." Kiyone was brought to tears. "He ordered me not to. I had to obey."

"No you didn't!! Now everyone is dead!! _We're _dead!! Why didn't you help?" Rukia roared.

"But he said...battle for honour."

Rukia punched her in the face. She then threw her onto the floor. "You dare say that in front of me!!"

"I'm so-"

Rukia growled and snatched Yachiru's gun. She aimed the barrel for Kiyone's pleading eyes.

"Please don't! Come on Rukia...We're friends! Aren't we?" Kiyone wailed.

Rukia pulled the trigger.

The bullet buried itself into Kiyone's shoulder.

Matsumoto restrained Rukia and took the gun. Yachiru took care of Kiyone.

"Rukia what happened to you?!" Kiyone asked, tears flowing freely.

"You know what happened!! I have seen my friends die one by one before my eyes. I have seen good people left for dead, just because of honour!! I have murdered innocent people for someones sick fucking games! I have had something worse than you can imagine happen to me, that hotel will haunt me forever!!"

"Remember what Ichigo said."

Rukia froze.

"He said to share your sorrow, that you should never carry the burden by yourself!! We're your friends. If you share the problems, then we can overcome them together!" Kiyone extended an arm.

Matsumoto released Rukia and she jumped towards Kiyone. Rukia wrapped her arms around her and hugged her tightly. She wept over Kiyone's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry." she whispered.

Kiyone stroked her back and comforted her.

"Uh don't want to ruin this sweet moment but they're closing in!" Matsumoto said.

The two girls let go and wiped their tears away.

Kiyone slid a new clip into her assault rifle.

Rukia realised she had dropped her weapon earlier and was now unarmed.

Kiyone patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry. We can just take turns with this one." She waved the large gun in front of her face. She ran out of the corridor and stated the coast was clear.

The others filed out.

"So where do we run to now?" Hinamori asked.

"I guess we should help Ichigo, he's on the roof isn't he?" Matsumoto replied.

Hinamori had no idea but still nodded.

"Alright then. Roof it is!" Matsumoto jogged towards a staircase, the others soon followed.

*****

ROOFTOP

Ichigo used the railing to stand up. Every bone, every muscle ached. He tried to take a step forward but quickly fell. He cursed and dragged himself towards the door. He reached for the handle and turned it. He fell through the doorway and heard footsteps. A familiar voice spoke and his whole body relaxed.

Rukia's ran up the stairs with a group of female officers, followed by Stark and a tired girl on crutches.

"Ichigo!!" Rukia beamed. She helped him up with the aid of the others.

"Hmmph, I only wanted Ichigo to see this but the more the merrier."

The group whirled around as Ulquiorra ascended the stairs. He held a leash. Attached to the leash was a terrified girl with chestnut brown hair.

"Orihime! Are you alright?!" Ichigo yelled.

"I am going to let her go. Two hostages is too much to handle." Ulquiorra winked.

Hinamori started to shake

_Oh no!! It's time!!_

Ulquiorra cut the leash and Orihime ran towards Ichigo. She was several steps away when a deafening gunshot rang through the air.

Orihime collapsed as blood spurted out from her chest. She reached for Ichigo's outstretched hand but was shot again. Her hand fell and Orihime's head dropped to the ground.

Everyone turned around and gazed at the shooter.

A teary-eyed Hinamori gazed back at them, her gun drawn.


	11. Trap

**11...Trap...**

**Please review.**

ROOFTOP

Ulquorra clapped. His cruel half smile returned. "That went so well, it feels like it was set up!"

Ichigo had almost fainted. They had found the mole...but in the worst possible way.

"No...No...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" Ichigo struck the ground with his fist. The cement cracked and broke.

"Momo?! What are you doing?!" Matsumoto held a hand over her mouth. "You killed her!!"

Stark tackled Hnamori and threw the gun to the others.

Ichigo propped Orihime up against the pipe and held a hand over the wound.

Her grey shirt was slowly turning a dark shade of red. Her head rolled forward.

Ichigo turned to Ulquiorra. "You fucking monster!!" He roared.

Ulquorra blinked and then waved a hand at himself. "Despite my appearance, I am quite human."

"How dare you!!" Ichigo's eyes burned with nothing but pure hatred.

"I did nothing. Your friend over there did what she thought was right." He pointed at Momo now sat far from the others.

Ichigo gazed into her eyes. Sorrow, regret and intense fear showed in her tear filled eyes.

"She would never do that unless she was absolutely terrified. That's why you used her as a mole! You took advantage of her because you knew she could be scared into doing anything!"

"Well done Ichigo, excellent sleuthing, I guess that is why you are a policeman." Ulquiorra took a step forward.

"Fuck off you creep!!!"

All eyes fell on Lillinette who balanced against a wall so she could aim her large machine gun.

Ulquiorra gazed in shock at her crutches. "My my. You're a cripple! Did Grimmjow do that? Honestly you should be glad it was him. If it were me, you would never walk again! In fact you would never move at all." Ulquiorra laughed. It was a sickening sound. It made everyone's blood freeze in their veins and every organ to momentarily stop.

Kiyone brought her weapon up to her shoulder and aimed.

Matsumoto and Stark both unholstered their pistols.

Yachiru pulled out her tiny firearm and pointed the miniature barrel at Ulquiorra.

Ichigo and Rukia watched silently while tending to Orihime's wounds.

Ulquiorra laughed again. "You really think you can take me down? What foolishness!"

All went silent as the stand-off continued.

Lilinette screamed. "NOW!!!"

The silence was ripped apart by the deafening ochestra of gunfire.

Ulquiorra dissapeared behind the door and used it as a shield.

The shots stopped until he came out again. He ran with incredible speed and kicked out lilinette's feet.

She fell onto the hard concrete, right on her injured back. She screamed in pain.

Ulquiorra then caught several bullets and threw them at Matsumoto. She fell but did not cease firing. Ulquoirra backhanded her and she was immediately knocked out as his hand hit her face with a thunderous 'whack.'

Kiyone was right next to him and fired a whole clip into his side.

Ulquiorra waved his arm but did not manage to catch any projectiles. When she had to reload, Ulquiorra ripped off his own arm. She noticed that the rest of his body was completely unscathed. He had blocked every single bullet!

He glared at her and she rolled backwards, out of the way of his outstretched hand. Had she not moved she would have been impaled on his ghostly white arm.

Ulquiorra bent down to pick up his arm and threw it at Stark.

Stark ducked but did not pay attention to Ulquiorra who now stood directly in front of him. Stark shot out a leg but Ulquiorra dodged it with ease.

Stark continued to kick and punch at his enemy, even though he knew none would ever connect.

Kiyone managed to reload and brought the large gun to her shoulder.

Ulquiorra grabbed Momo by the throat and lifted her up to use as a human shield.

Kiyone lowered the barrel and sank to her knees. He was always one step ahead! They couldn't even beat him when it was four against one!

Stark took advantage of Ulquiorra's distracted attention. He flattened his hand and performed a chop to his opponents throat.

Uluqiorra got thrown sideways into the railing. His grip on momo had not faultered at all. He turned his head and stared angrily at Stark. "An impressive hit. That is why I chose you!"

"Bullshit! You chose me because I was spaced out on weed 24/7. that way you could manipulate me easily. But once I was arrested, I woke up and realised what you had done! I will never forgive you!" Stark formed a martial arts stance and focused on his enemy.

"I never intended for you to forgive me. I don't even intend for you to leave here besides in a body bag!" Ulquiorra frowned.

Stark yelled at Kiyone. "For fucks sake Blondie!! Shoot him!!"

Kiyone raised the rifle again.

Ulquiorra shook his head. "I won't allow that!" He dangled Hinamori over the edge of the roof. "If you shoot me, the girl dies!"

Stark tensed as Kiyone dropped her gun.

"That's right! I control this battle from now on! You there." Ulquiorra pointed at Kiyone. "Kill her!"

He then pointed at Yachiru.

"NO! Please? Anything but that!" Kiyone pleaded.

"Either that little girl dies or she does." He shook Hinamori, making her yelp.

Kiyone began to cry.

Yachiru patted her leg (she couldn't reach her back.) "I'll take care of this! Trust me." She dashed towards Ulquiorra and leaped over the railing. She landed on his arm and grabbed Momo's hand as well. She then jumped over Ulquiorra's head, pulling Momo along with her. They fell back onto the roof and dived out of the way.

Kiyone fired into Ulquiorra's eye and he collapsed. His other eye glared at them as it slowly closed.

Kiyone sighed. "He's dead!! Finally."

"Alright! Let's get the hell out of here!" Stark ran over to the door, picking up Lilinette on the way.

"Wait!!" Ichigo yelled. He reached inside Orihime's shirt.

Everyone stared, some even blushing.

Ichigo whipped a mobile phone out of Orihime's bra. "It's where she keeps her phone."

Everyone continued to stare.

"What?! I didn't tell her to put it there!" Ichigo yelled.

They still stared.

"Oh fuck it!" Ichigo unfolded the phone and rang the hosital. He asked for several ambulances and then gave the address.

"Now let's go!" Ichigo grabbed Lilinettes crutches and used them to walk to the door.

Yachiru, somehow, lifted Matsumoto onto her back and approached the door.

Rukia lifted Orihime and carried her away.

Kiyone assisted Momo.

The group descended the stairs.

A ghostly white hand twitched slightly.

*****

Ichigo and the others fled down the stairs. They stopped just before a corner. They could run left or right.

Kiyone craned her neck around to the left and saw an extremely large man waiting with a small pocket of students.

She then peeked out over to the right where an elderly man waited with a gothic female espada.

"We're blocked off both ways!" she whispered.

"We'll have to climb down from the roof." Ichigo suggested.

"But what about the injured?" Kiyone asked.

"I don't know, we'll figure that out when we get there!" Ichigo went back up the stairs, aided by the small crutches.

The others followed as they retraced their steps.

Ichigo opened the door and his heart stopped beating.

Ulquiorra was gone!

Footsteps came from down below.

"Oh shit!! It was a trap!! They've caught us!!" Stark cursed and stomped.

"They don't have us yet! The window!!." Ichigo climbed over the railing and dropped onto a thin ledge that was the windowsill for the lower floor. He then punched the window, smashing it. He yelled at the others to drop down.

Yachiru leaped down, still carrying Matsumoto. She bounced inside the broken window and propped Matsumoto up against the wall.

Stark lended Kiyone a hand down and then handed her Lilinette. They continued on and allowed Rukia to drop with Orihime.

Stark finally lowered himself and called up to Momo. "Come on!! You won't fall! Trust me!"

Momo shook her head.

"Just jump!! I'll catch you!!" Stark roared, getting increasingly agitated.

Momo turned to watch the door being kicked down by the massive Espada. She yelped and started to cry.

"Jump!! Quick!!"

"I can't."

"You can you dumb bitch!!" Stark reached up and grabbed her foot.

She screamed as he pulled her leg though the gap in the railing. She grasped onto the pole and begged for him to stop.

"I'm not fucking stopping! Just drop down!!"

A feminine hand clasped Momo's.

Momo looked up to see the gothic Espada holding her hands. "W-who are you?" Hinamori whimpered.

"Cirucci Thunderwitch, don't bother telling me yours...I already know...Momo."

Stark pulled and Momo fell to the ledge with him.

Her eyes were wide and she was shaking uncontrollably.

"What's wrong?" Stark asked.

"Up there..." Momo whispered.

"What?"

Momo pointed up to the roof.

Stark followed with his eye and found two Espada scanning the area for their prey. Stark pushed Hinamori inside and quickly followed. He gazed at the others. "We can't stay here!"

"Why-" Ichigo was knocked forward as the door he was leaning on was opened.

The large man glared down at them. He could barely fit inside the doorframe and had to hunch over at an awkward angle.

Kiyone let loose several rounds and grinned as the man fell to the ground. She then peeked inside a small bag on her hip. "Uh oh. I only have one clip left. We better shoot wisely."

Stark counted the bullets left in his pistol and frowned "Two."

Lilinette dazedly removed the clip from her machine gun and threw it away. She sulked and threw the gun across the room.

Hinamori checked her ammunition and found only one round left. She thought of using it on herself if she needed to. She then dissmissed the thought and shivered.

Rukia inspected Matsumoto's pistol and found it was empty. She then added all the ammunition in her head. "We have only thirty-three bullets to spare. There's still two Espada alive that we know of." She then remembered Ulquiorra's lost corpse. She shivered.

"We need to get to the front gates! The ambulances will arrive there and we need to protect them from the Espada." Ichigo climbed over the corpse of the huge man.

"Poww was always too sluggish to be a soldier!" An elderly Espada shook his head and revealed a hunting rifle.

Ichigo fell back as the Espada slammed the butt of the rifle into his skull. Ichigo groaned and rubbed his head.

Kiyone leaned over the giant's body and shot the Espada in his gun arm.

The stream of bullets tore his arm off. Blood gushed out and spread out under his feet. He grasped the gun with the other hand and fired.

Kiyone ducked under the giants arm but the bullet passed straight through, embedding itself into her hip. She rolled off of the corpse and dropped her gun.

Barragan strode over the body of his commrade and aimed at Stark.

Stark rolled and shot at his foe.

Barragan tilted his head and the bullet streamed past his head.

Stark fired again but the shot only glanced Barragans cheek.

Blood trickled down to his mouth and he licked at it. "I thought you were a better marksman than that Stark." The old man grimaced and his wrinkles swallowed his face.

Stark threw the gun away and darted for a shard of glass on the floor.

Barragan shot the shard and it turned to dust. Barragan shook his head. "No dirty tactics. You know a man of my age cannot fight hand to hand!" He laughed and then pulled the trigger.

The powerful projectile ripped into Stark's stomach, shredding his organs. He threw up blood and grasped his stomach. The wound was huge. It looked more like an animal had mauled him rather than just one bullet.

"Explosive rounds. Ideal for hunting stubborn beasts!" Barragan smiled and his old weathered teeth appeared under his moustache.

"I thought you said no...'_Blurgh'_" Stark stopped to retch again._ "..._dirty...tactics."

Barragan laughed and aimed for a finishing blow.

Momo shrieked and ran straight for the old man. When she was four steps away she pointed the barrel right at his temple.

Barragan ducked and used his rifle as a club, knocking the girl across the room.

The distraction gave Stark a chance to snatch up Momo's dropped pistol. He then shot his opponent point blank into the side of his head.

Barragan stumbled and grabbed his eye. No blood flowed out of the hole in his head. "Ha ha. That trick has already been pulled before." Barragan pulled the skin of his face back to reveal a metal plate instead of bare bone.

"No!" Stark stared in disbelief.

Barragan stuck two fingers into an eye socket and pulled out a cracked glass eye. The bullet still protruded from the side of the false organ.

Stark repeated the small word he uttered earlier. He was so shocked he couldn't respond to the rifle butt swinging at his head. He was knocked into a table which fell apart. He grabbed a metal chair leg and limped toward his enemy. He raised the metal bar and then brought it down in a wide arc.

Barragan met the blow with his rifle. He then kicked Stark back as he fiddled with the rifle, trying to reload. He gave up when Stark rushed forward again. "You are too cocky for your own good!!" Barragan smirked.

Stark jabbed the sharp broken end of the chair leg into the elderly man's chest. It sunk into the withered flesh with ease, scraping against the brittle ribcage.

Barragan walked forward, impaling himself on the weapon, but also getting within striking distance of his enemy. With great effort, he threw a devastating punch into Stark's nose.

His nose bent awkwardly and spurted a small spray of red fluid. Stark wrenched his head back then rolled it forward again. His skull slammed into the weaker skull of Barragan. He felt his opponents skull dent inwards slightly. He stepped back.

Barragan's head rolled to the side and he stumbled. He nearly fell but caught himself on a shelf nearby. He took deep ragged breaths and charged into Stark. He barreled into him and crushed him into the wall. He took several steps back and then used the run up to shoulder charge Stark through the thin wall. Dust and splintered wood fell onto the two men who then used the debris as weapons.

Stark clubbed Barragan with a piece of plasterboard and it split apart over his head.

The others stared on at the fierce and desperate battle.

"Get out of here!!" Stark roared at them. "Get the hell out of here!! I'll catch up with you guys when I beat him!!"

"Don't count your chicks before they hatch young man!!" Barragan got Stark into a choke hold and smashed his head into the wall.

Splinters dug into Stark's neck and he winced. "RUN FOR FUCK'S SAKE!!!!" he yelled as blood gathered in the back of his throat.

The other's fled carrying the injured with them. They retreated down the stairs but as they reached the first floor, the student army assembled outside.

Forty pairs of terrified eyes stared at the remnants of the police force. Cirucci smiled at them and waved with one hand, the other brandished a sub machine gun. Several students dropped large containers on the ground.

"What is that?" Rukia stepped forward to get a better look and slipped in a puddle of transparent fluid. She sniffed the air and screamed. "Its Gasoline!! They're going to blow this place up!!"

Cirucci grabbed a small thin stick from a student. The small group soon realised it was no stick...It was a match!!

Cirucci lit the match and blew a kiss as she threw it into the pool of combustible fluid!


	12. Flames Of Wrath

**12...Flames of Wrath...**

**Please review.**

Rukia shrieked as the orange tongues lapped at her soaked clothes. She rolled around on the ground as the flames singed her blue uniform into a darkened and sometimes blackened hue.

Ichigo helped her to her feet as the wall of flames spread out across the front of the building.

"There's no way out!!" Momo screamed.

The crackling from the fire got increasingly louder, but a slight sound was still heard. A quiet splashing noise. It was coming from upstairs.

Ichigo looked up the stairs and found Aaroniero pouring gasoline over the wooden steps.

"GET BACK!!" Ichigo barreled into the others, knocking them away from the red, flickering wave of destruction that followed.

The stairs crumbled as the intense heat devoured them.

Aaroneiro laughed with both heads at once, creating an eerie wailing sound.

"What the fuck is that?!" Rukia asked repulsed.

Aaroniero answered with his deep voice. "Szayel was deeply involved with human experimentation. He had created serums that could warp a mans body..." He revealed the purple tendrils that were once fingers. "He also mastered a way to survive decapitation." He ran a finger along the tank that contained his heads. "I was the guinea pig for many experiments and prototypes. This is the result, a monster!" The heads made a disgusted face.

The others looked on, horrified, as the monstrocity descended the stairs...through the flames.

He brushed of the flames lapping at his skin and made a strange noise which, if it was a human, would sound like a sigh. "I can no longer feel pain. I am the ultimate assasin! That is my purpose, to serve Ulquiorra and only Ulquiorra!"

"What's that mean?" Ichigo asked.

"Ulquiorra had also been experimented on. He rose in rank and ended up leading us. He showed that even a freak can become all powerful!! That we would have vengeance against those who alienated us!!" Aaroniero lifted his normal hand and clenched a fist. His voice changed to a shirll shriek. "Szayel never obeyed Ulquoirra and operated seperately from us. We sent help to him and he tagged along on our missions, but never would answer to Ulquiorra."

The small group had slowly backed away from the monster that spoke to them.

"I know what you are thinking! But this whole building is now enveloped in flames! My task is to keep you here until you are reduced to ash."

Matsumoto started to wake up and Yachiru helped her stand up.

A mighty roar came from upstairs. Another soon followed but in a different voice. It was Stark and Barragan.

All fell silent as they listened intently.

Loud bangs and yelling ensued for several minutes but then stopped. Everyone heard a wet splat.

"Stark! Please be ok!!" Lilinette begged.

Aaroniero took advantage of the distraction and darted forward, a dull white knife in his hand.

Momo jumped backwards as the knife flew in front of her face. A deformed hand pushed her into the wall which collapsed. Cinders fell onto her skin and burned her.

Yachiru soared through the air and kicked the tank that was Aaroniero's head. It cracked but did not shatter.

Aaroniero whirled the knife around and slashed Yachiru across her back. He then picked her up with one hand and hurled her into the stairs.

Burning debris cascaded over her and she was quickly trapped under the burning wreckage. Her awful screams chilled everyone to the bone, except for the lifeless, emotionless creature that was Aaroniero.

*****

OUTSIDE

Renji slowly opened his eyes. Everything was bright red, yellow or orange. His body felt like it was in an oven. He was on fire!! Everything was on fire!! He struggled to move and found he was being dragged across the blackened ground. He craned his neck and gazed at the pained expression on Toshiro's face.

His hair was singed and was now an ugly grey rather than a brilliant silver. His uniform was torn and bloody, burned flesh was visible underneath the tears. He was biting his lip so hard that blood flowed. His face was creased as he winced at the pain of the ocean of fire.

Renji stared wide eyed at his friend. He was dying, but was still taking Renji to safety. Renji felt a wave of guilt flood over him. If Toshiro died, Renji knew he would blame himself even if it was Toshiro's choice. If Renji wasn't here, Toshiro would have been able to get out of here uninjured.

"Ren-Renji? I'm sorry." Toshiro averted his gaze and looked at the ground.

"Sorry for what?" Renji asked.

Toshiro gripped Renji's collar tighter. He fell to his knees and brought his face right in front of Renji's.

"Toshi-" Renji started but was interrupted by Hitsugaya.

"Get out of here alive!! Take care of Matsumoto and Hinamori! They need it."

Renji was shocked. His jaw dropped as he listened in silence.

"Tell Matsumoto that she was the best subordinate a captain could have. I know I acted rather cold towards her but I really cherish her company. I only wish I could see her one last time..." Hitsugaya trailed off, gazing at the swirling flames around them.

"Don't worry!! I'll reunite you with your precious liuetenant and you can tell her yourself!!" With a newfound energy, Renji dragged Toshiro through the hellish world that surrounded them.

A group of silhouettes stood about twenty metres away.

Renji squinted through the orange haze. "It must be the Ichigo and the others!! They're here!!" Renji sped up and lifted Toshiro onto his back. He then carried him towards freedom.

A silhouette stepped forward and raised a hand.

Renji stepped out of the flames and froze. A ghostly pale arm drilled into his chest. He spluttered and gagged as the arm drew back and returned to it's master. As Renji fell again he glared at a pair of emotionless, emerald green eyes.

*****

INSIDE BURNING BUILDING

No-one could move. A child's scream was completely different from an adults. An adult scream makes you shiver, but a child will make you feel a chill in your veins, your body shuts down and a fear worse than any you have ever felt before will consume you.

Yachiru continued to scream and beg for help.

The floating heads in a tank rolled around so they could see behind them without turning the body.

Kiyone brought her rifle up but one head quickly spun around to face her. The other head stared at the burning pile of wood.

"I cannot be caught by surprise! I won't be beaten by the likes of you!!" He walked towards Kiyone, hands outstretched, ready to attack.

Yachiru let out a squeal and then fell silent.

Rukia began to cry.

Ichigo hugged her but was pushed away.

Rukia breathed heavily and her mouth twisted into a snarl. Her hands spasmed but she stood her ground. "You will pay!!"

Aaroniero looked at her with both heads.

"I will make you suffer!!" She rasped, her throat sore from inhaling smoke.

Aaroniero uttered his awkward laugh.

Rukia ran straight for him. She smashed a fist into the glass casing of his head and it split open. The top half fell away and foul smelling fluid spilled out. One of the heads bounced on the floor, the other remained in the broken tank, the red water only just covered it's head.

Rukia stomped on the fallen head and white goo oozed out from the squishy skull.

Aaroneiro screeched in his deep voice and clutched at his broken face.

Rukia dropped to the floor and clutched a shard of glass. She then slashed it across Aaroniero's achille's tendon.

He fell and glared at rukia. He swung his deformed hand at her but she met it with the shard of glass. It passed through the palm of his hand and he roared in pain.

"This is for Yachiru!!" Rukia reached inside the tank and pulled out the final head. She gripped it with both hands and wrenched her arms back.

The head was ripped in half and white gore splattered the ground. Aaroniero's body collapsed and lay still.

Rukia coughed as the smoke enveloped her. She got up and ran back to the others. They all sprinted away from the spreading flames.

They reached a dead end. Flames still waited outside.

Ichigo sighed. "I guess there is no way around it!" He approached a window and kicked it. He then removed all the glass from the window frame. "All right. Lets get out of here!!"

Kiyone, Momo and Matsumoto all went out through the window. Rukia went next. Ichigo gave her Orihime's still body and then she left. Ichigo then dived out into the flames and raced out of the thick wall of flames.

When he got out, the others had already started to fight. The gothic Espada was flung back as a stream of bullets hit her.

The terrified students all dropped their weapons and raised their hands in the air.

They escorted the student army to the front gates and waited.

A faint clap came from the flames. All heads turned to watch as a pair of glowing green eye's lit on the face of a shadow. It emerged from the flames.

It was Ulquiorra!

"How?! We killed him!!" Ichigo broke out into a sweat.

Ulquiorra dragged something behind him. It was Renji.

"Renji!!" Ichigo roared.

"He didn't even put up a fight!" Ulquiorra threw him at his enemy.

Rukia tended to his wounds as Ichigo snatched the gun from Kiyone. He then ordered a student to give him his gun.

"Before you shoot me to pieces, I must remind you that your sister is still in there." Ulquiorra pointed at the building that was now blackened.

"I'm not falling for your trick again! I'm not that stupid." Ichigo smirked.

Ulquiorra shook his head. "You do realise I am the only one who knows where she is. Even if I had removed her from the building, which I haven't, I am the only one who knows her real whereabouts."

A girl's scream escaped the building that drowned in orange fire.

Ichigo could barely tell who it was as it was muffled, but only one name came to mind.

"YUZU!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

Ulquiorra turned to face the flames and winked.

*****

TWO MINUTES AGO

INSIDE BURNING BUILDING

Becky backed up aginst the wall. Ulquiorra had promised to let her go! He promised her, but she had to hide here until he had dealt with the intruders. Hope had blinded her and she failed to realise that she trusted a monster.

He had approached her a few minutes ago, one eye was blown to pieces, goo oozing out from his eyesocket. It healed itself, strands of tissue banding together. Within a minute, the eye had completely reformed. He reassured her that he would come back in thrity minutes.

She trusted him! She silently waited, she could hear the intruders fighting only three rooms away. A strange smell had crept into the room and she quickly recognized the odour...it was fire. Orange tongues tapped at the window, beckoning her to let them inside.

She backed away from the window, which shattered under the intense heat. The room suddenly felt like a furnace as the flames reached out to the wooden walls. The flames dragged themselves inside as if it was alive, eating away at all in it's path.

The world was turning orange as the room was swallowed by the burning beast. The wall of flames advanced, forcing her back into the wall. She grasped desperately for the door to her left. The handle scalded her flesh and she drew her hand away. The flames were out in the corridor as well!

She crumpled into a heap and stared at the flames as they danced with joy over the feast they would have.

Tears slid down her face as she pictured Ulquiorra, staring at her through the flames. He then extended a hand and led her to safety and then they embraced each other. She knew in reality that Ulquiorra was a cold-blooded, heartless being. He was the embodyment of evil...true evil.

Evil in movies was just make-believe, towering mosters and mental people weilding a knife. In real life, evil took a form more terrifying than any special effects. The victims weren't actors pretending to die and then having a beer and a laugh afterwards. They were real people, suffering in agony as sadistic men slaughtered them.

"Ulquiorra...Ulquiorra...ULQUIORRAAAAA!!!!!" Becky screamed, her eyes closed, unable to watch as her skin blistered and melted. The tears never escaped her eyes as they were instantly incinerated.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"

*****

CURRENT TIME

CAFE NEAR SCHOOL

Tatsuke looked up from her tea to see giant flames engulf the school. She brushed back a spike of black hair and terror suddenly swept over her.

"Holy shit!! Orihime!!" She sprinted out of the small cafe and ran to the school. She stared at the building which collapsed in on itself. Embers soared over to her and landed at her feet as she sped up. She ran across the road without looking and screamed when an ambulance drove right past her face. Three more followed, then two fire trucks.

They all parked outside the gate but quickly stopped.

_Why are they stopping?! _

Tatsuke vaulted over a stretcher and raced to the gate. She noticed a head of spiky orange hair and yelled. "Ichigo!?"

He did not respond, but several injured police officers turned to see her. Rukia was one of them.

"Rukia?! What happened?! Where's Orihime?!" Tatsuke was shaking.

Rukia averted her gaze and looked at a stretcher. A girl with chestnut hair lay still. It was Orihime!

"Orihime!!" Tatsuke grabbed a paramedic by the shirt. "Is she okay?!"

The paramedic shook his head. "She is still breathing, but she has lost a huge amount of blood. If we're lucky she should make it, but she will be in hospital for a few weeks."

"I don't care if she is in a bed for a year! As long as she is safe!" Tatsuke roared. She placed a hand on Orihime's cheek and stroked it softly.

Rukia placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's not over yet!" She pointed to a ghostly white man who stood perfectly still in front of the burning wreckage.

"Who is that?" Tatsuke asked.

"Ulquiorra Schiffer. He is the leader of the criminal organisation that did this! He is ruthless and very powerful. We have lost almost our entire force to him and his men!" A stray tear fell from Rukia's eye.

"Why is he standing there?"

"I have no idea, but he hasn't made a noise for several minutes now." Rukia glared at him.

He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I refuse to face defeat by your hand. I shall slay myself."

"What?" Ichigo stared in disbelief as Ulquiorra walked into the flames and walked thorugh the doorway into the building.

He turned back and glared with comtempt at Ichigo. His emerald eyes glowed as the rest of his body turned to shadow.

The crackling flames almost sounded like raspy laughter as the school exploded. Everything fell apart and burning debris fell around the survivors.

The fire crew sprung into action, combating the fires with their natural enemy, water.

The paramedics called for more ambulances as they treated the officers who survived.

Ichigo stared at the ground. "Yuzu..."

"Are you her brother? Are you Ichigo?" A middle aged paramedic asked.

Ichigo nodded.

"She begged to see you when she first woke up." The man continued.

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo queried, frowning.

"We found her outside the hospital, unconscious. Some creep with a huge mask just dropped her. We called out to him but he sprinted off into the woods."

"You mean...she's okay?" Ichigo slowly stood up.

"Oh yeah, she's fine, just a bruise on the face."

"Oh thank god!" Ichigo hugged the man and then climbed inside an ambulance. "Come on lets go!"

The ambulances all left the smoking ashes that was once the school.

The firetrucks soon followed.

When all was silent, a pile of wood was shoved aside. An ashen arm struck out. A strong breeze blew some of the ash away, revealing bone-white skin.


	13. Unhappy Ending

**13...Unhappy Ending...**

KARAKURA HOSPITAL

The survivors gathered around two beds. One contained a girl with chestnut brown hair, the other, a red headed man.

The red head's blanket was stained red near his chest. The gaping wound had bled profusely when they had tried to patch it up. His eyelids rose lazily. He squinted at the people gathered around him.

"Where the hell am I?" He asked.

"You're in hospital. You made it!" A familiar fiery haired friend glanced down at him.

"Who made it?" He remembered that the whole force had entered the school, but not all came out.

His friend frowned. "Not many...just us." He waved a bandaged hand at the group inside the room.

He only counted several officers, Ichigo, Rukia, Matsumoto, Hinamori, Kiyone and Soi Fon.

_Only seven of us!? _

Mayuri walked in, followed by his daughter.

Nemu wore a long sleeved shirt and a glove on one hand. She glared at the gloved hand as if it was a monster.

"Nemu is a bit upset. It seems she would rather be a cripple than receive a limb transplant." Mayuri frowned at her and bunched a fist. "Honestly! Children just aren't the same these days." He shook his head and then sat down.

Rukia smiled at Renji and then turned away. She approached the door and left.

"Rukia?" Ichigo excused himself and followed her. He peered out into the hall and saw her turn down a lowly lit hall. He followed and watched her enter a room with an old label above the doorway: Morgue.

Rukia walked over to the drawers and searched the name tags. She found the one she desired and pullled open the long drawer. A body, entirely covered by a plain white sheet lay on the cold steel drawer. Rukia gripped the sheet and pulled it down so she could see the face. Her brother lay stiff on the frosted metal. A tear dripped from her face and landed on Byakuya's cheek. She wiped it away and withdrew her hand.

Byakuya was colder than ice. His stern expression was still present on his face.

Rukia realised that she had never seen her brother smile or laugh. She had never been congratulated by him, no matter what she achieved. For many years when she was first accepted into the Kuchiki family, Byakuya seemed to resent her. He even wanted her to die when she was going to be executed. Yet still Rukia cared for him. She knew that deep down, Byakuya loved her like the little sister she was, although he would never show it.

Ichigo stepped into the room. He stared at Byakuya's body and then at Rukia, who wept over her brother.

"Ichigo, why did you follow me?" Rukia did not look away from her brother.

Ichigo didn't even know himself. He stared at the floor.

"I...I just...I care about you. I owe you so much. I can't stand to see you suffer."

"Then why did you follow me here? You knew I would be sad, even with you here."

Ichigo gazed into her eyes. They were wet and she was crying. Ichigo took a step forward but Rukia held up a hand.

"I want to be alone!" She looked down at Byakuya again and stroked his hair.

Ichigo turned and left. Someone ran into him and they both fell. Ichigo scowled and grabbed the person by the collar.

"Ichigo!! It's me!! Tatsuke!"

Ichigo let go.

Tatsuke rose to her feet and started to run away. "It's Orihime!! Quick!!"

Ichigo ran after her and left Rukia to grieve.

When he reached the small room, everyone was outside, looking through the window. "What happened?" Ichigo asked.

Tatsuke pointed through the window. Doctors were rushing around Orihime.

"She woke up. We were so happy, but then she started eyes were going blank and...and..." Tatsuke couldn't say another word. She just cried.

Ichigo pressed his face against the window. "Please! Not another one!!"

The doctors stopped. They all looked down and removed their bloodied gloves. The middle-aged man from the school walked out. His face already told the message beore he said it. "I'm so sorry."

"No..." Tatsuke slid down the wall and wailed.

*****

KUROSAKI CLINIC

TWO DAYS LATER

A knock at the door woke Ichigo. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a shirt and descended the stairs.

He opened the door, which creaked loudly. He half yawned as he spoke. "Yes?"

Tatsuke stared at him.

"It's so early. What are you doing here?" Ichigo yawned again.

"I thought you would like to talk." She walked in.

"Why the hell would I talk to you at this hour." He squinted at the clock in the other room. "It's five in the freakin morning."

Tatsuke glared at him.

"What?"

"Ichigo. What were you doing at the school?! What the hell has been going on?"

"You saw for yourself. You were there." Ichigo scratched his head.

"Don't play smart with me! Why were those guys there? Why did they kill everyone?"

"That's official police buisness." Ichigo averted his gaze.

Tatsuke grabbed him by the throat. "Look at me you bastard! Who were they? And why were you there fighting them?"

Ichigo stepped away. "Very well. I became a cop."

"Why the fuck did you want to do that? And how? You're only fifteen." Tatsuke tilted her head.

"That doesn't matter. Anyway, a terrorist group called the Espada tried to take over the town. They were the ones behind that shopping centre massacre."

Tatsuke's eyes widened. "Them!! I saw that on the news. They killed everyone!"

Ichigo continued. "The bastards figured they would target me by attacking the school...The police force was wiped out. Only seven of us survived."

Tatsuke gazed at her feet. "Shit..."

"I've got work to do. I'll ring you later if you want." Ichigo stood up and walked to the door.

Tatsuke walked out. She turned to face him before she left. "Orihime's funeral is in two days. I'll see you there."

Ichigo nodded and waved at her as she walked away. He then made some tea and sat down by his computer. The wallpaper on the screen was Orihime's smiling face. Ichigo stared at it for a few minutes.

The phone rang. A tired little girl spoke to him. "Hi Ichigo. I hope I didn't wake you."

"No, I've been up for a while. So how are you Yuzu?"

Yuzu giggled. "I'm ok. How are you coping with my job?"

"Oh, I found someone to help with that."

"Who? It couldn't be Karin!"

Ichigo smiled. "No just a friend. Alright I'm a bit busy now. I'll drop by later to see you. Bye." He put the phone down and heard the stairs creaking.

Rukia rubbed at her eyes as she came down. "You're up early. What's the occasion?"

"Nothing, I just thought I'd get some paperwork done."

Rukia leaned over Ichigo's shoulder and kissed his cheek. "I'll get breakfast started then."

Ichigo squeezed her hand and then watched her go into the kitchen.

*****

-_Case report – Espada Incident_

_The Espada are all deceased. None were taken into custody due to their actions. They are held responsible for the deaths of 342 citizens in total. All perpretrators are confirmed dead._

_Karakura police station has been forced to close down as staff are too low in number to continue._

_Remaining staff are to return to Soul society with the exception of Kuchiki Rukia who has requested to remain here. Staff are still in hospital._

_Karakura high is to be rebuilt. A memorial is to be built on the site as well._

_Karakura mall is to be demolished and remodeled. Construction is to commence in two months._

_Lilinette is to receive a cash reward for her bravery and service with Karakura police. _

_Karakura police_

_*****_

Ichigo went to the kitchen, Rukia placed three plates on the wooden table.

"That didn't take long. You sure you did the report properly?" Rukia asked.

"What do I care. I'm not a cop anymore." Ichigo sat down and started to eat.

"Karin!" Rukia yelled.

Karin wandered down the stairs and sat across from Ichigo. "Hey Ichi. Hi lady."

Rukia frowned. "I have a name!"

"I know, but that doesn't mean I have to say it." Karin began eating.

Rukia glared at her.

"Sit down." Ichigo mumbled.

Rukia sat next to him and ate her breakfast.

*****

KARAKURA CEMETERY

TWO DAYS LATER

Tatsuke gave a speech about her dear friend Orihime. She looked into the small crowd and did not see Orihime's parents.

_The scum! How could they miss her funeral?!_

She scanned the crowd and noticed a man standing at another grave alone. He had black hair that hid his face. His hands were in his pockets.

Tatsuke sat back down next to Ichigo.

After a few more speeches, the funeral ended.

Tatsuke talked with Ichigo. They were joined by a few friends.

The man watched silently from a distance.

Everyone left and the man placed a flower down on Orihime's grave. He brushed his hair back and stared at the tombstone with emerald eyes...

*****

NEW KARAKURA HIGH SCHOOL

SEVEN MONTHS LATER

Ichigo stared out the window. He sighed.

The principal yelled at him. He then told the class that they were going to have a new teacher. He clapped and a thin man walked in.

Ichigo sat bolt upright.

The new teacher scratched his cheek which had green lines painted on. He then looked right at Ichigo. "Hello Ichigo Kurosaki." The teacher smiled...

**Hope you enjoyed the story. May make a sequel but not for a while.**


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